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Fund, tax deal, trust
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, faced skeptical questioning Wednesday at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing over a $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” and a tax immunity deal for Trump as he sought the support needed to advance his nomination.
Blanche insisted the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” was “not moving forward,” while Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas pressed that the president “has not agreed in writing” to delete the weaponization fund and that there is “no guarantee” it won’t be raised again.
The hearing unfolded as Democrats and other critics raised alarms that Blanche is still functioning as Trump’s personal lawyer, with the Justice Department’s workforce hollowed out by “mass firings and resignations.”
Blanche also defended his approach by arguing that “We are fixing that,” pointing to investigations into Trump during the Biden administration as damage to “the public’s faith in justice.”
Epstein files and redactions
Blanche’s confirmation fight also turned on the Justice Department’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein files, with PBS reporting that Blanche said the Justice Department “undertook a Herculean task to review millions and millions of potentially responsive files.”
Blanche acknowledged redaction mistakes and told the Senate Judiciary Committee, “That doesn't excuse the mistakes, of which I take responsibility,” while adding, “But it does mean that we tried to fix them.”
In the same hearing, CNBC described Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., asking Blanche about FBI Director Kash Patel, including whether he was “good with his airplane jaunts,” and Blanche replied, “That's an extraordinarily obnoxious question, Senator.”
CNBC also reported Blanche said, “We worked hard, hardworking lawyers within the department, to do the right thing, and we will continue to do so,” when questioned by Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, about the Epstein files and the redactions that required later fixes.
Jan. 6 pardons and stakes
Lawmakers also pressed Blanche on Trump’s blanket pardon of violent protesters who breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and on actions taken by the Justice Department against Trump’s opponents as the committee’s Republican support remained uncertain.
Los Angeles Times reported that Sen. John Cornyn said he is still “weighing” whether to support Blanche, while Blanche said the $1.8-billion “anti-weaponization” fund is “dead,” even as he conceded the agreement was still technically alive.
The stakes were sharpened by the committee’s narrow margin after the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, with the Los Angeles Times noting Republicans hold only a one-seat majority and that “a single Republican vote against Blanche could block the nomination.”
In the hearing, Tillis told Blanche, “You’ve done a great job today,” and the Los Angeles Times reported that Blanche could continue serving as acting attorney general even if he is not confirmed, but the administration would not be able to nominate a replacement for his previous role as deputy attorney general.
