Todd Blanche faces Senate scrutiny in AG confirmation hearing

Acting Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche appeared before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on July 15 for his confirmation hearing. Senators pressed him on multiple issues, including whether he should recuse himself from ongoing investigations tied to former President Donald Trump. Senator Adam Schiff accused Blanche of misleading the committee about DOJ recusal guidelines, while Senator Josh Hawley questioned the nominee over the Biden‑era FDA abortion‑pill regulations and urged enforcement of the 1873 Comstock Act. Blanche asserted he would enforce existing “pro‑life” statutes and denied that a controversial “anti‑weaponization fund” existed, describing it as a moot matter. Lawmakers also raised concerns about Blanche’s role in a lawsuit filed by Trump against the IRS that resulted in a settlement granting immunity and a slush fund, which a federal judge later deemed an abuse of the court process. Throughout the hearing, Blanche faced criticism for his past work on the Jeffrey Epstein file and for appearing to act as Trump’s personal lawyer rather than an independent chief law‑enforcement officer.