Dems blast Blanche as enabler of ‘Trump’s corruption’ after AG confirmation

Senate Dems blast Blanche as enabler of ‘Trump’s corruption’ after AG confirmation Comments: by Sarah Davis - 08/08/26 3:45 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Sarah Davis - 08/08/26 3:45 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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All Democrats in the U.S. Senate voted against the nomination of Attorney General Todd Blanche, but their opposition was overridden by a majority of GOP lawmakers in the upper chamber in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Many of these Democrats cited Blanche’s record over the past year as deputy and acting attorney general, pointing to his oversight on a now-defunct nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, the rollout of the Justice Department’s (DOJ) files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his stance against abortion.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Blanche’s confirmation to lead the DOJ in a permanent role green lights Trump’s “pervasive, breathtaking corruption.”

“If you want to wipe out corruption, you can’t have the president’s personal attorney as the Attorney General,” Schumer wrote in a social media post after the vote. “You don’t need a PhD in political science to know that.

“Todd Blanche has no intention of stopping Trump’s corruption,” the Democratic leader continued. “He advanced his career enabling it. Every senator who voted to confirm him has now branded themselves as an enabler, too.”

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) also brought up Blanche’s background as the president’s former personal attorney.

“Todd Blanche has and always will be Trump’s personal lawyer — not the American people’s lawyer,” Padilla wrote in a social media post. “I voted NO on his confirmation.”

Similarly, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said Blanche’s “loyalties lie … not with the law or the American people.”

“It’s with protecting Trump’s allies and enabling unprecedented corruption at DOJ,” he continued in a statement shared on social media after the vote.

Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen (Nev.) accused Blanche of a “complete and total mishandling of the Epstein files,” in addition to his stance against abortion and history as Trump’s personal attorney.

“The American people deserve an Attorney General whose first loyalty is to the Constitution, not the President, and I’m going to do everything I can to hold him accountable,” she wrote in a social media post.

A group of survivors of Epstein’s crimes urged the Senate to vote against Blanche’s nomination, citing frustration with how the DOJ handled victim privacy concerns during the release of the Epstein files. Several survivors said the department failed to properly redact sensitive information and put victims at risk during this public rollout.

“The survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s horrific crimes deserve transparency and accountability, not continued efforts to withhold information or shield those in positions of power,” New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D) wrote on social media.

“Under Todd Blanche’s leadership, the DOJ will continue putting President Trump’s personal and political interests ahead of justice and accountability for victims. I voted NO,” Luján continued.

Democrats in the U.S. House, who do not have voting power on executive nominations, also expressed their opposition to Blanche’s appointment to a full-time post at the DOJ.

“Under the cover of darkness, Republicans confirmed Donald Trump’s personal lawyer to serve as Attorney General,” wrote Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in a social media post following the Senate vote.

“The American people deserve a Justice Department that defends the rule of law, not one weaponized to protect the President, reward his allies & shield his corruption,” the Democrat continued.

Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform called on their committee chair, GOP Rep. James Comer (Ky.), to “bring Blanche before our committee under oath” to testify about his oversight of the Epstein files rollout.

“Todd Blanche is running the Epstein files cover-up, is personally involved with Ghislaine Maxwell’s cushy treatment, doxxed Epstein survivors, and continues to illegally withhold millions of files,” the lawmakers wrote in a statement shared on social media.

“Blanche has shown repeatedly that his loyalties are to Donald Trump, and he will continue to enable corruption in the White House,” they continued.

Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), who are considered more moderate GOP lawmakers in the Senate, were the only Republicans to vote against Blanche’s nomination.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has been absent from Congress since he suffered a fall in June, was not present for this vote.

Collins criticized what she called an “increasingly political” environment at the DOJ during Blanche’s tenure at the department in a statement ahead of the vote. The five-term senator is engaged in a high-profile battle in Maine to keep her seat in Congress.

“Mr. Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the Department’s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation,” Collins wrote on social media.