{"id":7638,"date":"2026-07-16T09:34:33","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T09:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=7638"},"modified":"2026-07-16T09:34:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T09:34:33","slug":"5-things-we-learned-on-the-first-day-of-blanches-confirmation-hearing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=7638","title":{"rendered":"5 things we learned on the first day of Blanche\u2019s confirmation hearing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Day 2 includes testimony from former attorney general John Ashcroft and a pardon attorney Todd Blanche fired last year.<\/strong><\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=7635\">Schmidt\u2019s final Wallabies test brings hometown start for Carlo Tizzano vs Italy<\/a><\/p>\n<figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7637\" height=\"777\" src=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/91ef5cb3cd07edc948b3f1912e5862fc-1024x777.jpg\" width=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/91ef5cb3cd07edc948b3f1912e5862fc-1024x777.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/91ef5cb3cd07edc948b3f1912e5862fc-300x228.jpg 300w, https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/91ef5cb3cd07edc948b3f1912e5862fc-768x583.jpg 768w, https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/91ef5cb3cd07edc948b3f1912e5862fc-1536x1165.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/91ef5cb3cd07edc948b3f1912e5862fc-2048x1554.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<figcaption>Todd Blanche during a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on his nomination to be attorney general.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Acting attorney general Todd Blanche\u2019s confirmation hearing to serve as the nation\u2019s top law enforcement officer continues Thursday morning, with testimony from supporters and critics.<\/p>\n<p>Former attorney general John Ashcroft, who served under President George W. Bush, is expected to testify in support of Blanche\u2019s nomination. Liz Oyer, the Justice Department\u2019s former pardon attorney <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2025\/03\/12\/pardon-attorney-elizabeth-oyer-fired-speaks-out\/\" rel=\"\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2025\/03\/12\/pardon-attorney-elizabeth-oyer-fired-speaks-out\/\">who was fired by Blanche last year<\/a>, is slated to testify against him, as is a woman who has accused convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein of abuse.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s unclear how \u2014 or whether \u2014 their statements will influence Senate Judiciary Committee members, who are expected to vote in the coming days on advancing Blanche\u2019s nomination to the full Senate. Committee members spent hours on Wednesday grilling Blanche under oath, pressing him on his tenure as deputy attorney general and then acting attorney general under President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>The senators pressed him on whether, if confirmed, his primary loyalty would be to the Constitution or to Trump, whom he once represented as a private attorney. They asked Blanche about his stance on multiple issues, including anti-trust enforcement, presidential pardons and violent crime.<\/p>\n<p>A single Republican no vote could sink Blanche\u2019s nomination in the committee, making this two-day hearing a high-stakes political event. Here\u2019s a recap of what unfolded during the first day of Blanche\u2019s confirmation hearing.<\/p>\n<p>Blanche repeatedly sidestepped questions about whether he supports Trump\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/dc-md-va\/2025\/01\/20\/trump-pardons-jan-6-defendants\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/dc-md-va\/2025\/01\/20\/trump-pardons-jan-6-defendants\/\">decision to pardon Jan. 6 rioters<\/a> convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers. When pressed, the acting attorney general said the president has clear authority to pardon whomever he wants, though did not say whether he personally thought the pardons were a good idea.<\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s pardons for those who assaulted police officers when they broke into the U.S. Capitol as Congress was certifying Joe Biden\u2019s presidential win on Jan. 6, 2021, has drawn criticism from Republicans and Democrats. (Trump pardoned virtually all the rioters, but his clemency for those who attacked police officers has drawn the most scrutiny.)<\/p>\n<p>Blanche in his testimony condemned any violence against law enforcement officials and said rioters who committed such violence were rightfully prosecuted, although he did not give his opinion of the Jan. 6 attack itself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Constitution gives the president the full power to pardon any person for any reason he wants,\u201d Blanche said.<\/p>\n<p>Blanche reiterated his view that it is not necessary for him to declare in writing that the administration\u2019s $1.8 billion \u201canti-weaponization\u201d payout fund is dead and will not be resurrected.<\/p>\n<p>The Justice Department agreed to create the unusual fund to help resolve a Trump lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns. The deal prompted a bipartisan uproar, prompting DOJ to scuttle the fund. <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2026\/07\/13\/trumps-attorneys-justice-dept-leaders-misused-courts-irs-case-judge-says\/?itid=ap_jeremy-roebuck_article-list_1_2\" rel=\"\" target=\"_self\" title=\"https:\/\/washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2026\/07\/13\/trumps-attorneys-justice-dept-leaders-misused-courts-irs-case-judge-says\/?itid=ap_jeremy-roebuck_article-list_1_2\">A federal judge on Monday characterized the deal<\/a> between the Justice Department and Trump\u2019s lawyers that created the fund as the product of an improper effort to \u201cmanipulate the judicial process.\u201c<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI very much disagree with the judge\u2019s insinuations about me,\u201d Blanche said about the judge\u2019s ruling. \u201cAnd we are going to do what we can to make that right.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Asked Wednesday by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) whether Trump could sue the Justice Department to resurrect the fund, Blanche conceded he could do so. But he said such a lawsuit still would not force DOJ to create the fund.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is a moot issue, meaning there is no weaponization fund,\u201d Blanche told Cornyn. \u201cThe weaponization fund is dead. It\u2019s not moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If all Democrats oppose Blanche\u2019s nomination as expected, Blanche will need to secure the vote of every Republican senator on the Judiciary Committee for his nomination to move forward. Republicans have an 11-10 majority on the committee, following the recent death of Sen. Lindsey  Graham (R-South Carolina).<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=7632\">UK urges FIFA to investigate Argentina over Falklands banner at World Cup<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Three GOP senators said they are still undecided, and all three \u2014 Cornyn, Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) and John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) \u2014 asked Blanche pointed questions about his record at the Justice Department.<\/p>\n<p>Tillis, who is not running for reelection, seemed convinced by Blanche\u2019s answers. \u201cThank you. You\u2019ve done a great job today,\u201d he said after questioning Blanche.<\/p>\n<p>Kennedy and Cornyn, however gave little indication of how they would vote. Cornyn seemed particularly skeptical, questioning why the Justice Department would sign off on the IRS agreement. In addition to the fund, the deal also protects Trump, his sons and their affiliated businesses from any prosecutions or audits of past tax claims.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s so much that is unusual about this,\u201d said Cornyn, who lost his reelection bid earlier this year in his state\u2019s Republican primary. Cornyn told reporters after the hearing that he was undecided if he would vote to advance Blanche\u2019s nomination.<\/p>\n<p>DOJ\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2025\/12\/24\/epstein-files-justice-department-struggles\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2025\/12\/24\/epstein-files-justice-department-struggles\/\">release of the investigatory files<\/a> regarding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein \u2014 especially its redactions of certain people\u2019s names \u2014 proved to be a thorny issue for Blanche throughout the hearing. Democrats and Republicans have accused the department of blacking out some names to protect powerful people, while at times exposing victims by leaving their names in.<\/p>\n<p>Blanche <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2026\/01\/30\/jeffrey-epstein-files-release\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2026\/01\/30\/jeffrey-epstein-files-release\/\">said any errors<\/a> were unintentional and quickly fixed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe put tons of resources to rectifying those mistakes immediately, including pulling down documents within minutes of being informed there were potential mistakes made,\u201d Blanche said.<\/p>\n<p>Several of Epstein\u2019s accusers attended the Senate hearing. Sen Dick Durbin (Illinois), the top Democrat on the committee, accused the Justice Department of refusing to meet with the victims and called on Blanche to personally meet with the women. Blanche would not commit to meeting with them personally but said that a qualified member of his staff would do so.<\/p>\n<p>Justice Department officials have said the Epstein files do not contain information that could lead to a viable prosecution of anyone beyond Epstein or his convicted accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. But Blanche said if they find any information that could lead to the prosecution of someone affiliated with Epstein, he would prosecute that person.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe will never not talk to victims,\u201d Blanche said. \u201cThat narrative is false.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Blanche played down the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2025\/03\/14\/trump-justice-department-speech\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2025\/03\/14\/trump-justice-department-speech\/\">post-Watergate norm<\/a> that insists on distance between the White House and Justice Department to try to ensure that politics do not influence criminal investigations. DOJ, the acting attorney general said, is just like any other executive branch agency that reports to the president.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Department of Justice is like every single department in the executive. It is part of the executive,\u201d Blanche said. \u201cWe certainly operate with integrity. We certainly operate with the single mindset to serve the American people and do the right thing, but if confirmed, I will be a member of the cabinet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Still, he vowed that he would not do anything unethical or unlawful as attorney general, even if the president ordered him to do so.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat will never happen, but if it were to happen, I would not violate my oath to the Constitution,\u201d Blanche responded when asked whether he would resign if the president gave him an unlawful order.<\/p>\n<p>Blanche, who was formerly Trump\u2019s personal defense lawyer, said the president goes to him for advice, but \u201ccounsel does not mean I\u2019m a yes-man.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But he had a glaring slip-up when a senator asked whether he considers the president a friend. \u201cI\u2019m his lawyer,\u201d Blanche said before correcting himself. \u201cI was his lawyer.\u201d<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=7629\">How an Italian sculptor created the World Cup trophy that became an icon<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Day 2 includes testimony from former attorney general John Ashcroft and a pardon attorney Todd Blanche fired last year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7636,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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