The Senate Judiciary Committee convened to consider the confirmation of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Senator Mazie Hirono began the questioning with standard ethics inquiries, asking whether Blanche had ever faced allegations of sexual harassment or related disciplinary actions.
She then shifted focus to concerns about the Department of Justice’s independence, asserting that the agency had been employed as a political instrument during the previous administration.
Hirono cited actions such as alleged coordination with the former president, interference in electoral processes, and the issuance of pardons for individuals involved in the January 6 events.
She also referenced recent prosecutions pursued by the current administration, including investigations linked to the Capitol attack and meetings with state prosecutors.
Concluding her line of questioning, Hirono warned that the DOJ risked becoming a tool for partisan objectives and urged committee members to oppose Blanche’s confirmation.
Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley responded by challenging the Democratic members’ credibility on the issue, emphasizing what he described as double standards.
Grassley argued that the DOJ had been used to target political opponents under the current administration, noting that text messages from dozens of members of Congress had been reviewed by the special counsel’s office.
He highlighted investigations involving a civil‑rights organization and protests at a church, characterizing them as routine law‑enforcement actions rather than politically motivated prosecutions.
The hearing underscored deep partisan divisions over the perceived politicization of the Justice Department, leaving the confirmation of Todd Blanche unresolved pending further committee deliberations.
