Durbin Questions Witnesses During Spotlight Forum On President Trump’s Nominee To Be Attorney General, Todd Blanche

Durbin Questions Witnesses During Spotlight Forum On President Trump's Nominee To Be Attorney General, Todd Blanche

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a spotlight forum hosted by U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) examining President Trump's pick to be the Attorney General, Todd Blanche. Durbin first questioned Professor of Law at the University of Pennsylvania, Claire Finkelstein, founder and faculty director of the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL), about the conflict of interest involving Mr. Blanche's cryptocurrency holdings. In April 2025, as then-Deputy Attorney General, he disbanded the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and shut down ongoing crypto-crime investigations.

"Should Mr. Blanche have recused himself from the decision to issue his April 2025 memo regarding cryptocurrency enforcement?" Durbin asked.

Ms. Finklestein responded that he "absolutely" should have recused himself. At the time, he held more than $150,000 in cryptocurrency. Mr. Blanche denies that he should have recused himself.

Durbin then asked Perry Carbone, former Chief of the White Plains Division for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, about the professional responsibility and ethical duties a DOJ attorney has regarding investigating industries if one has a vested financial interest in it. Mr. Carbone responded that proper procedure would be to divest or "get off the case."

Durbin then asked Mr. Carbone about the "Anti-Weaponization Fund" and the lawsuit against the IRS in which Mr. Blanche signed an order providing President Trump, his family, and his businesses with immunity for any federal tax law violations prior to May 19, 2026.

"[Mr. Blanche] believes that he and he alone at DOJ can sign that immunity. What is your feeling?" Durbin asked.

Mr. Carbone noted that it's "extraordinary" that any Attorney General would sign off on a settlement agreement.

"There's going to be history written about this Administration and I think it will be extraordinary with its corruption," Durbin replied.

Durbin then asked Liz Stein-a human trafficking survivor, advocate, and one of the most prominent public voices among survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell-about the Epstein survivors' meeting with Mr. Blanche last week.

Ms. Stein noted that they asked Mr. Blanche to speak about his interview of Ghislaine Maxwell and her transfer to a minimum-security camp, which is unheard of for a convicted sex offender. Ms. Stein noted they got "no substantive answers, he spoke in circles, and he evaded our questions." She also noted "there seems to be no interest" from DOJ to pursue justice for survivors of abuse by Epstein's associates.

Durbin concluded by asking Peter Carr, who spent nearly two decades at the Department of Justice, about Special Counsel Jack Smith testifying in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Mr. Carr is the public spokesperson for Special Counsel Smith's investigation.

"He [Jack Smith] has agreed voluntarily to come before this Senate Judiciary Committee and answer questions under oath… [Republicans] owe it to him to tell his story under oath and [Republicans] refused to [bring him before the Committee]. The conclusion I draw is that they are afraid of what he has to say… would you comment on it?" Durbin asked.

Mr. Carr reiterated Durbin's point that Mr. Smith has said publicly he is willing to come before the Senate Judiciary Committee and testify. He continued to say, "I encourage the Senate to take him up on it."

Video of Durbin's questions in the spotlight forum are available here.

Audio of Durbin's questions in the spotlight forum are available here.

Footage of Durbin's questions in the spotlight forum is available here for TV Stations.

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