Overview
- President Trump’s acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, is scheduled to face Senate Judiciary confirmation hearings on July 15–16 and will be pressed on his handling of high-profile DOJ matters.
- Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sudden death has narrowed the committee’s GOP margin, meaning a single Republican no vote could deadlock the panel and effectively sink Blanche’s nomination.
- More than 1,200 former DOJ employees have urged senators to reject Blanche, citing large staff departures and what they call politicized prosecutions and firings under his leadership.
- Survivors, watchdogs and courts are demanding fuller disclosure of Jeffrey Epstein–related records after judges ordered narrower redactions and additional production that critics say Blanche has delayed.
- Blanche helped draft a proposed $1.8 billion settlement that included IRS audit protections for the president; he has said the fund is “dead” but has not put tax‑immunity promises in writing, prompting Republican requests for written assurances and briefings.