WASHINGTON — Senators confronted Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche over the Trump administration’s controversial “Anti-Weaponization Fund” and his handling of the Epstein files during his confirmation hearing Wednesday.
Blanche, President Donald Trump’s pick to permanently lead the U.S. Department of Justice, faced a barrage of bipartisan scrutiny. But U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, along with other Republicans on the panel, praised his legal work and the department’s success in reducing violent crime.
“I’m here today to earn your trust once more,” Blanche, who once served as Trump’s personal lawyer, told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
He’s been the acting attorney general since April, when Trump fired his predecessor, Pam Bondi.
Senators grilled Blanche on the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” created from Trump’s settlement with the IRS. It received strong backlash from both sides of the aisle when the Trump administration announced it earlier this year. The fund would have provided compensation to those who have felt that the government has wrongly prosecuted them.
At the hearing, the nominee reiterated that the fund is now “dead” and “not moving forward.”
But Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a key vote in Blanche’s confirmation process, wasn’t convinced by the acting attorney general’s response. He remains undecided.
“Basically, he confirmed that it’s not dead,” Cornyn told CNN outside the hearing room. “I continue to have some concerns.”
Securing every Republican vote on the Senate panel is critical for advancing Blanche’s confirmation. With all Democrats squarely opposed to his nomination and Republicans only holding a one-seat majority on the committee after the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham this weekend, Cornyn’s vote could be decisive.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., has also been highly critical of the “Anti-Weaponization Fund, saying during the hearing that he wants to “stick a fork in this turkey.”
But as he concluded his questioning of Blanche, he told the nominee, “You’ve done a great job today,” hinting that Blanche might have earned his support.
Britt presses AG nominee on abortion pills
Britt questioned Blanche about restricting access to abortion pills by mail. Under the Biden administration, the Food and Drug Administration removed an in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone.
“It allows it to literally be dispersed across state lines, all across the country,” the Alabama Republican said of the abortion pills. “We are losing children and we are putting women in harm’s way.”
She recounted a story of a woman who alleges that her ex-boyfriend forced her to take an abortion pill, which he was able to purchase online using his ex-wife’s information.
Britt asked Blanche to commit to take “meaningful and thoughtful action to address the dangers that occurred in the current status quo to women all over this country.”
“Absolutely,” he said in response. “I very much commit our resources to stopping this.”
Epstein files
Blanche also faced multiple questions over his handling of the Epstein files, as Bondi previously said he was in charge of overseeing the release. During the hearing, he defended his actions during the investigation and the release of the files, in which the DOJ failed to redact some of the victims’ names.
“There were mistakes that were made and so approximately 1% of the redactions had to be fixed after we released the Epstein files,” the acting attorney general said.
The top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, said 10 Epstein survivors were present in the room during the confirmation hearing.
“Can I get your word under oath that within the next 30 days you will personally sit down with these 10 victims and hear their case in terms of what needs to be done by the Department of Justice?” Durbin asked.
Blanche did not agree to meet directly with them, but said DOJ staff would be available to do so, adding that if they have lawyers, he would be prohibited from personally talking with the survivors.
“You have these survivors who have the courage to come before this committee, have the courage to tell their terrible stories, how they were exploited,” Durbin said. “Don’t you think it’s important that we have a prompt response by our government to these survivors?”
Britt began her questioning by offering praise for the acting attorney general for his part in overseeing the release of the Epstein files.
“I appreciate your commitment to all of the victims, the Epstein victims,” she said. “Your commitment to hear from them and fight for them.”
Britt touches on violent crime and offshore gambling
At the hearing, the Alabama Republican also lauded the department’s work in Trump’s second term, including in reducing violent crime across the country.
“We’ve seen those task forces successfully pursue numerous cases in our state related to major drug trafficking, related to firearms trafficking, all of which have been linked to, in many cases, broader criminal enterprises,” Britt said. “So we’re glad our children are safer and communities are safer. “
The rate of violent offenses in the United States decreased from 394 per 100,000 persons in 2023 to 371 per 100,000 in 2024, according to a March report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Britt, who has advocated for cracking down on illegal offshore gambling operations targeting youth, asked Blanche about his commitment to making the problem a priority for the department.
Blanche said he would “absolutely” look at ways to block the operations.
Britt and fellow Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville plan to support Blanche’s nomination.
“He is going to be an OUTSTANDING AG. Let’s get him CONFIRMED!” Tuberville wrote about Blanche on social media.
On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear from a panel of witnesses on Blanche’s nomination. The committee has not yet scheduled a vote on the attorney general nominee.