Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is scheduled to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow for a confirmation hearing to serve in the role permanently. Blanche has served as acting attorney general for three months and previously received Senate confirmation as deputy attorney general with a 52-46 vote.
Blanche’s career includes eight years as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York and several years in private practice. He gained national attention for representing Donald Trump in multiple legal matters, including the New York business records trial and federal cases involving classified documents and election interference. Critics, including former colleague Mimi Rocah, have questioned his shift from a non-partisan prosecutor to a private defense attorney for the president.
During his tenure as acting attorney general, Blanche has overseen the release of millions of pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. The rollout faced criticism after personal information of survivors was left unredacted and some lawmakers alleged the Department of Justice withheld relevant files. Blanche stated the department is not withholding any information that should be released and described the redaction errors as inexcusable.
In his previous confirmation hearing, Blanche told senators he would follow the law if asked by the president to perform actions he deemed illegal. Supporters point to his experience in the DOJ's Violent Crimes Division, while opponents continue to question his ability to maintain independence from the executive branch.