00:02In Washington later this morning, President Trump's pick to lead the Justice Department
00:06faces what could be his toughest test yet, as Todd Blanche begins a two-day confirmation
00:12hearing on Capitol Hill. The former Trump defense attorney has been serving as acting
00:17attorney general since April, but his path to the job permanently is not a sure thing.
00:22Trump on Tuesday urged every Republican senator to back Blanche, writing on Truth Social that
00:28Blanche, quote, stood by my side. He is a great lawyer, always very fair. But Democrats argue
00:34Blanche has been serving Trump, not the American people. In a statement, Senate Judiciary Committee
00:40member Sheldon Whitehouse said, quote, he is a walking disgrace. Trump intends to damage the
00:45rule of law to protect his massive corruption, and Blanche is his hatchet man. Blanche is also
00:51expected to face questions about his handling of the Epstein files and his role in a scrapped
00:57$1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund. That fund is also one of the issues giving some Republicans
01:03pause. Senators John Cornyn and Tom Tillis have yet to commit their support, while a federal
01:09judge this week sharply criticized Blanche's role in the agreement that created the now-abandoned
01:14fund. And the politics have become even trickier following the death of Senator Lindsey Graham.
01:19With Democrats expected to oppose the nomination, Judiciary Committee Republicans can't afford to
01:25lose just one vote to advance Blanche, making every GOP holdout critical. If Blanche clears the
01:31committee, Republicans hope to hold a full Senate vote before the August recess.
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