Durbin accuses Todd Blanche of lying under oath
Senator Dick Durbin, the leading Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, accused Todd Blanche of perjury during his confirmation hearing for attorney general, alleging that Blanche contradicted himself and lied under oath about the Justice department’s anti-weaponization fund. Durbin criticized Blanche for allegedly lying to avoid offending former President Trump and expressed strong opposition, stating he believes Blanche is too loyal to Trump to be suitable for the role. Despite Democratic opposition, Blanche’s nomination advanced in a party-line vote of 12-10, with some Republican senators defending the process.The committee required the Justice department to confirm in writing that the controversial fund, associated with payouts to Jan. 6 defendants, was defunct before Republicans would support its approval. Durbin accused Trump of intending to revive the fund if Blanche is confirmed as attorney general.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, accused Todd Blanche of perjury Tuesday as Republicans prepared to advance his nomination for attorney general.
Durbin said in opening remarks that Blanche contradicted himself last month, when he appeared before the panel for his confirmation hearing.
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At that hearing, Blanche denied calling the Justice Department’s now-defunct anti-weaponization fund a “mistake,” an admission Durbin claims he made in a private meeting with his office.
“Mr. Blanche’s willingness to casually lie under oath about a statement he made in a room full of witnesses shows the lengths he will go to avoid offending President Trump,” Durbin said, telling members of the Judiciary Committee that Blanche has “no business” becoming Trump’s attorney general.
The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.
The comments were part of a 10-minute speech in which Durbin painted Blanche, Trump’s former personal attorney, as blindly loyal to the president and sought to undermine a deal two Republicans on the committee struck to ensure the fund won’t be moving forward.
Durbin joined all other Democrats to oppose Blanche’s nomination, but it advanced 12-10 in a party-line vote, easing his path to confirmation before the full Senate as soon as this week.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), one of the committee’s swing votes, defended his deal with Blanche at Tuesday’s meeting, arguing that he and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) “did the best we could given the circumstances.”
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Both Republicans withheld their votes for Blanche’s nomination until the Justice Department put in writing that the fund, controversial due to its expected payouts to Jan. 6 defendants, was defunct. Blanche also reiterated to the senators that a May settlement giving Trump immunity from tax audits was limited in scope.
Democrats argue that Trump will revive the fund once Blanche is confirmed.
Kaelan Deese contributed to this report.
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