Key facts
- Todd Blanche's confirmation hearing for U.S. attorney general is scheduled for Wednesday.
- He is expected to face scrutiny over the handling of Jeffrey Epstein case files.
- A controversial $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization fund' and tax audit immunity for Trump allies are key topics.
- Over 1,200 former Justice Department staffers have signed a letter opposing Blanche.
- A federal judge found improper use of a case to benefit Trump and referred lawyers for ethics investigation.
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche is set to face a tense confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, as he seeks to become the nation's chief law enforcement official. Few officials have been more instrumental in Donald Trump’s efforts to transform the federal government than Blanche, who served as Trump's personal attorney and was tapped to be deputy attorney general at the start of his term.
Blanche is likely to face pointed questions from Democrats regarding his actions as acting attorney general, including firing career prosecutors for work on anti-abortion cases and indicting the Southern Poverty Law Center on specious charges. He also oversaw a department where government lawyers have been reprimanded for misrepresentations before judges.
His nomination represents a significant career move, having left a partnership at Cadwalader in 2023 to represent Trump in his criminal cases. Blanche, a former registered Democrat, was rewarded for his loyalty with a top Justice Department post.
Further scrutiny is expected regarding the department’s decision to vacate some January 6 convictions and an agreement with Trump to end a $10 billion lawsuit over the leak of his tax returns. This agreement included the creation of a $1.8 billion slush fund for alleged government weaponization victims and granted Trump, his family, and related business entities immunity from tax audits. Blanche later scrapped the fund amid backlash, and a federal judge criticized the agreement as collusive.
Senators are also expected to press Blanche on his handling of the release of millions of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, which contained errors in redaction that identified victims. Pam Bondi testified that Blanche was in charge of the Justice Department's release of these files.
Blanche also met with Ghislaine Maxwell in prison, after which she was transferred to a minimum-security facility, a move that drew criticism. He defended the transfer as necessary for her safety. More than 1,200 former Justice Department employees have signed a letter opposing his confirmation, citing his fealty to the president over the constitution.