Blanche grilled over slate of FBI, DOJ firings

Senate Democrats grilled Todd Blanche, President Trump’s former criminal defense attorney, on whether he would blunt attempts to interfere with the Department of Justice (DOJ) if confirmed as deputy attorney general.

Blanche, Trump’s most prominent attorney in his New York hush money case, was the first of Trump’s law enforcement nominees to face a confirmation hearing after a series of high-profile firings at the FBI alongside additional dismissals as the Justice Department. 

Those firings, directed by the Justice Department, come as top DOJ officials have also demanded the bureau turn over a detailed list of every agent involved in investigating the cases of the 1,500 charged in connection with storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, including a breakdown of their role in the probe.

Agents have sued, asking courts to block the Justice Department from releasing agents’ names, something they argue would expose them to retaliation. The Justice Department fought that request, though they ultimately agreed not to release the names as the case proceeds. 

But under questioning from Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Blanche would not fully commit to barring release of their names, even as he stressed the need for agent safety.

“I don't believe that disclosure is on the table,” Blanche told the Senate Judiciary Committee, defending the request of agents' names.

“The memos that I've read that have now become public — it's to better understand what went wrong, because in President Trump's view, something went wrong in that investigation,” he added.

“Something went wrong in the Capitol, too,” Durbin retorted.

Blanche called the safety of FBI agents “of course, extraordinarily important.” 

“I cannot sit here today and commit to anything beyond that statement — that we will never do anything to put the lives of the family or the agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in danger.” 

Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) faulted Trump's Justice Department for being more focused on punishing career staff than fighting crime.

“Instead of the FBI protecting our country, protecting all of its citizens, you are turning your attention to what's going on within your soon-to-be-own department,” she said.

Blanche, like Attorney General Pam Bondi, stressed that the Justice Department represented the United States, not the president.

“I will follow the law, senator. Period,” he said under questioning from Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), noting he had spent hours upon hours with Trump.

“So I don't just say that flippantly. I say that with experience and firsthand knowledge.”

Blumenthal said that “others have said the same thing and then been confronted by President Trump with requests, orders, demands that they do things that are illegal or immoral.”

Blanche at various turns also condemned the investigations into Trump. He served as an attorney for Trump in his federal election subversion and classified documents cases as a key figure on the president’s defense team.

“While the Department of Justice can save lives, it can also ruin lives. I will always keep this fact in mind. And politics should never play a role in the Department of Justice. But recently, in too many circumstances, it has. Prosecutors in this country have predicated entire campaigns on targeting rivals,” he said.

Blanche also declined to say whether Trump’s firing of 18 inspectors general violated the law, a move that would normally require the president to give 30 days' notice and a breakdown of his rationale to Congress.

“It is a matter of mathematical impossibility for the president to have followed the statute and provided us with the required notice. Correct? He hasn't been president for 30 days,” said Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.).

“You know that he hasn't been president for 30 days," he continued. "Yes, and I'm telling you that the relevant statute for the removal of any inspector general requires prior notice to Congress with specific reason.”

Blanche said he could not provide insight since he is not yet confirmed.

“I'm not going to give you the answer you're looking for. I refuse to sit here and talk about something that I'm not familiar with and give an answer to you just because you want it. I'm not going to do that,” he said.

Republicans present for the hearing were largely focused on another witness, Abigail Slater, who would direct DOJ’s antitrust policy.

But several offered words of praise for Blanche, including Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), who praised his work as Trump’s criminal defense lawyer.

“Mr. Blanche had the integrity to fulfill his duty, not only to President Trump as his attorney, but to fulfill what he believed was the promise of our nation. And as everyone witnessed, his counsel was indeed robust and showcased his talent as an attorney and his convictions as a person,” she said.

“What began as defending President Trump in a single case turned into an impressive effort, defending against the flurry and eventual surge of lawfare with extraordinary legal maneuvering and advocacy. Mr. Blanche served his client, and I also believe he served our nation.”

Ella Lee contributed.