Senate panel sets Blanche confirmation hearing amid sharp scrutiny

Todd Blanche appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday as senators prepared to test how firmly he would defend the Justice Department’s independence. The hearing was set for 9:00 a.m. in Hart Senate Office Building Room 216, with a second day scheduled for Thursday immediately after the panel’s executive business meeting.

Blanche entered the session as acting attorney general after winning Senate confirmation earlier in Donald Trump’s second term as deputy attorney general. His bid to lead the department permanently faced a far rougher path.

Republican votes on the Judiciary Committee were the central hurdle. He needed every Republican on the panel to move his nomination to the floor, where he could still face additional skeptics before final confirmation.

Democrats were expected to press Blanche on whether he would keep Justice Department decisions insulated from politics, especially after controversies tied to his tenure. Those questions included the department’s handling of the Epstein files, actions viewed by critics as aimed at Donald Trump’s political opponents, and broader concerns about press freedom and the politicization of law enforcement.

The Justice Department issued federal grand jury subpoenas on July 10 for New York Times reporters over their reporting on security concerns surrounding a Qatari-donated Air Force One, and the subpoenas were set to seek testimony on the same day as Blanche’s hearing.

Major law enforcement organizations representing more than 670,000 sworn officers, more than 300 angel families, more than 100 bipartisan former U.S. attorneys and Justice Department officials, and other legal groups backed the nomination.

The hearing also recalled Trump’s earlier pick for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who withdrew on November 21, 2024, after controversy and lack of Senate support. Blanche faced questions about recusals, political interference and whether he would treat cases involving Trump allies or opponents.