Dick Durbin blasts Todd Blanche as 'Trump's personal attorney' at confirmation hearing

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin grilled Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche on Wednesday as he appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his attorney general confirmation hearing. Echoing concerns of his Democratic colleagues, Durbin accused Blanche of acting in the interest of President Donald Trump rather than the Constitution. 

"In less than 18 months at the Department of Justice, you have shown you're still Trump's personal attorney. Your tenure can be summed up in the four words you said: "I love you, sir," to President Trump. This was your response when you were asked what you would say to him. This nation deserves an attorney general who loves the Constitution more than any single president, an attorney general focused on keeping Americans safe and combating corruption, not satisfying the President's personal grievances," Durbin scathed.

According to CBC, Durbin was referring to a press conference in April when Blanche said that he loved President Trump. During the same hearing, Blanche was asked by GOP Sen. John Kennedy whether he and President Trump were friends. "I'm his lawyer," he said mistakenly, quickly correcting it to, "Was his lawyer." "I met him as his criminal defense attorney. I am not sure there are many people who have ever had a criminal defense attorney who calls that person their friend," he added.

Durbin grilled Blanche about several issues during the hearing, including the Department of Justice's (DOJ) role in handing President Trump a settlement in a legal dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The settlement, deemed illegal by a federal judge, shielded the President's family and businesses from past IRS tax audits or claims. Blanche defended it by saying, "As part of the settlement between the IRS and President Trump and some of his family and his organization, as is typical where there is a settlement between plaintiffs and the IRS, part of the settlement included release of any past audits."

"It does not give any protection to the President, his family, or his organizations for any taxes they file if they file it the day after I signed that agreement," Blanche added. The Illinois Senator, however, kept pressing Blanche, questioning how such a settlement could be reached. "It's hard to explain that nobody is above the law when that type of document was signed by you," Durbin added. Blanche, however, called it a regular occurrence.

The Acting AG was also questioned about President Trump's blanket pardon on his first day back in the Oval Office for those arrested in connection with the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021. Responding, Blanche said, "The Constitution gives the president full power to pardon anybody for any reason he wants. I don't question President Trump's authority or his decision to do so."