WASHINGTON — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche took his seat before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, telling lawmakers that he and his team are actively “restoring trust” in the Justice Department — a direct response to Democratic criticism that he has turned the nation’s top law enforcement agency into a weapon against those viewed as political enemies of President Donald Trump.
Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal attorney, has been running the Justice Department on a temporary basis since April. Wednesday’s hearing gives senators the chance to scrutinize his record and decide whether he should be confirmed to lead the department for the remainder of Trump’s term.
The hearing comes at a turbulent time for the Justice Department, which has seen sweeping firings and resignations that critics say have gutted its workforce and undermined its independence.
In prepared remarks released ahead of the hearing, Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois — the committee’s leading Democrat — planned to challenge Blanche directly on his loyalties. “You take an oath to the Constitution, not to the President,” Durbin planned to say. “But you have treated DOJ like President Trump’s personal law firm.” Durbin also noted that the Trump administration’s Justice Department has been found in violation of dozens of court orders.
Blanche pushed back in his own prepared statement, framing his leadership as a necessary correction after years of what he described as politically motivated investigations targeting Trump during the Biden administration.
“In recent years, Americans watched the Justice Department turned against many of you and a former president, and it damaged the public’s faith in justice,” Blanche planned to tell the committee. “We are fixing that.”
For Blanche’s nomination to move forward, he must secure the vote of every Republican on the Judiciary Committee, as Democrats are expected to vote against him unanimously.
Two Republicans in particular are drawing close attention. Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who lost his primary election in May, has said he will withhold judgment on Blanche until after the hearing concludes. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who has chosen not to run for reelection, has been openly critical of a $1.776 billion fund the Trump administration established — and later pulled back — intended to compensate individuals who were wrongfully prosecuted by the criminal justice system.
The committee’s makeup shifted following the death of South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who had been a member of the panel. The committee now stands at 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats. A single Republican defection would be enough to derail Blanche’s confirmation.
