DeLauro Statement on Senate Consideration of Todd Blanche as Attorney General

WASHINGTON – As the U.S. Senate continues its consideration of President Trump’s former personal defense attorney Todd Blanche for the position of U.S. Attorney General, House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) issued the following statement:

“When Acting Attorney General Blanche testified before the House Appropriations Committee in early June, I asked him pointedly if he would reverse the blanket immunity from tax investigations he had granted to his personal friend and former client, President Trump. Under oath, he refused. 

“After mounting opposition to his nomination in the Senate over this unprecedented grant of immunity and his extraordinary conflicts of interest, he has still refused to reverse that order. The only difference is that now he has put that refusal in writing.

“Acting Attorney General Blanche also put in writing that he would not pursue the $1.8 billion slush fund for corrupt payouts to the president’s political allies. There is nothing in this written order that would preclude the Departments of Justice or Treasury from reviving the fund in another form in the future. We are simply asked to take his word for it.

“The best way to protect the rule of law and the independence of the Justice Department is to refuse to confirm President Trump’s former personal lawyer as the Attorney General. Additionally, the prevention of the corrupt payout fund and reversal of the unprecedented blanket immunity must be codified into law, binding and irreversible without further Congressional action.

“This administration does not deserve the benefit of the doubt. Time and again they have shown they will lie flagrantly to get what they want. There is no reason to believe this instance is any different.”

Ranking Member DeLauro questioned Acting Attorney Todd Blanche in early June during a hearing held by the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. 

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