DURBIN QUESTIONS NOMINEE TO BE ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR NEWLY ESTABLISHED NATIONAL FRAUD ENFORCEMENT DIVISION AT DOJ DURING SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARING

WASHINGTON - During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Colin McDonald, the nominee to be the Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Enforcement Division, a newly established division at the Department of Justice (DOJ). Durbin first asked Mr. McDonald about working with Ed Martin.

After Mr. Martin's failed nomination to be U.S. Attorney for D.C. was withdrawn, President Trump appointed him to serve in non-Senate-confirmed positions like Pardon Attorney and Director of the Weaponization Working Group. Mr. Martin was pushed out of DOJ headquarters earlier this year for improperly handling grand jury materials that were part of an investigation targeting the President's political enemies.

"You've been identified as co-chair of the Weaponization Working Group. Mr. Martin talked about that as a group getting even with people who are critical of the President. Are you co-chair of that group?" Durbin asked.

Mr. McDonald dodged Durbin's question.

"So, the answer is yes, you are co-chair of the Weaponization Working Group?" Durbin asked.

Instead of answering Durbin's question directly, Mr. McDonald responded, "Senator, I am involved in the work of the Weaponization Working Group. That's been one of my many responsibilities in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General."

"You are very tactful in your answer. The President is explicit-he's going after the people that he thinks went after him. As many of us believe, that should come to an end. But you have been a part of Mr. Martin's effort and I want to put that on the record," Durbin said.

Durbin then asked about Mr. McDonald's involvement with Jared Wise, a January 6 insurrectionist who egged on a violent mob that was attacking Capitol Police Officers, yelling "kill 'em!" Mr. Wise is now a senior advisor at DOJ-and a member of the Weaponization Working Group.

"What was your involvement in the decision to hire him [Mr. Wise]?" Durbin asked.

Mr. McDonald again dodged, responding, "I am not today going to get into any personnel matters with respect to the Department of Justice."

"I understand why you don't want to answer the question. Here's the story on Jared Wise. Jared Wise was here on January 6 with the insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol. He was filmed saying to the police officers, 'You guys are disgusting, you are [the] Nazis, you are the gestapo.' He [joined] the violent mob that was attacking police officers saying, 'F them! Kill them!' The man was prosecuted for his conduct and he was subject to the full and unconditional pardon by President Trump and then went to work for the Justice Department in your Division. Do you have any problems with his background?" Durbin asked.

Mr. McDonald refused to answer the question.

"I'm asking if you know about Jared Wise and his background and [if you] were part of the decision to make him an employee of the Justice Department after what I just described. It's a simple question-you can say that 'yes I was involved' or no 'I wasn't involved,'" Durbin said.

Mr. McDonald again refused to answer Durbin's question and stated only that he was not involved in the hiring decisions.

"Do you have any problem with his background working for the Justice Department?" Durbin asked.

Mr. McDonald refused to answer Durbin's question and instead replied, "I would refer to my answer that the weaponization work in the Department of Justice currently is critical work."

"Let me ask, were you involved in the decision to disband the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team?" Durbin asked.

Mr. McDonald didn't directly respond and instead stated that the personnel working on cryptocurrency matters have been assigned to other divisions within the Justice Department.

Video of Durbin's questions in Committee is available here.

Audio of Durbin's questions in Committee is available here.

Footage of Durbin's questions in Committee is available herefor TV Stations.

Last week, Durbin and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi about the proposed new Division. In the letter, the Senators asked about the new Division's operations, staffing, and enforcement responsibilities and priorities. Additionally, they requested clarification on comments from Vice President Vance about the Division being "run out of the White House," which puts the new Division's prosecutorial independence and insulation from political interference into question.

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