Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing For Justice Department Executive Nominees
Today’s hearing features Todd Blanche, nominated to be Deputy Attorney General, and Gail Slater, nominated to be Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Todd Blanche to be Deputy Attorney General (DAG), and Gail Slater to be Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division (AAG-Antitrust).
Key Quotes:
“President Trump has vowed to use the Justice Department to advance his own interests and to seek ‘retribution’ against ‘the enemy within.’”
“The Trump Administration already purged dozens of senior career leaders at the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation… And, the Administration has forced career law enforcement officers to retire, resign, or be fired simply for executing tasks that were assigned to them. These actions are nakedly partisan.”
“Many members on the Democratic side of the aisle expressed fears that Attorney General Pam Bondi would put her loyalty to the President ahead of anything else. Our fears have been realized.”
“On her first day as Attorney General, Pam Bondi issued 14 memos to Department of Justice staff that reflect the most extreme of President Trump’s priorities, including far-right Project 2025 policies. Attorney General Bondi established a ‘Weaponization Working Group’ that is a clear effort to make good on her pledge to ‘investigate the investigators.’”
“Given the political retribution that is already being carried out with the blessing of the President at the Justice Department, Mr. Blanche’s nomination deserves heightened scrutiny. If confirmed, he will serve as the second-in-command at the Department, overseeing the day-to-day operations.”
“With Ms. Bondi’s unyielding loyalty to President Trump already disclosed, we must ask ourselves whether Mr. Blanche would be willing to act as an independent voice within the Department’s leadership.”
“Mr. Blanche, I enjoyed meeting with you in my office… You told me repeatedly that your true loyalty is to the rule of law. That’s the right answer from my point of view. But I am afraid I need to ask you more to conclude that you would be able to arise to the occasion which is likely to present itself.”
“What is happening at the Federal Bureau of Investigation should give Republicans and Democrats pause. That great agency is entrusted with the safety and security of the United States of America. Making it political does not help.”
Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
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