[0:00]Blanche, thank you for being here. Thank you to your family and I want to join in thanking the men and women of the Department of Justice
[0:11]for their service. Um I want to begin where maybe we have some common ground. You would agree that the Islamic Republic of Iran is well-known
[0:26]to detain, torture, even kill political dissidents, including evangelical Christians, would you not? >> Um yes, Senator, they have they have
[0:37]done that. Yes. >> And last week the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit alleging that the Trump administration
[0:47]has adopted a policy of collaborating with the Islamic Republic of Iran to provide details about asylum applicants. This is the United States government
[0:59]providing information regularly and frequently to the Iranian government about Iranian
[1:08]nationals who are seeking asylum here in the United States. These are declarations made under oath before the court about high officials
[1:19]stationed here with Iran getting information from the United States government and then the American government
[1:30]deporting hundreds of individuals, including evangelical Christians back to Iran where they face torture
[1:40]imprisonment, potential death. Were you or the Department of Justice consulted about this policy? >> Well, I that's not our policy, Senator.
[1:51]We would never send somebody home to be tortured. That's not what the American people would expect of us. That's certainly not what President Trump does. So, I'm not familiar with the lawsuit you're talking about, but there's no such policy.
[2:02]>> Will Will you commit to investigate these allegations? >> I haven't No, nothing about the lawsuit. I will When I say you say commit to investigate allegations, we don't do that. But,
[2:12]certainly if if the lawsuit needs to be answered and part of that includes investigation, absolutely. >> Well, you do investigate allegations of illegality. This policy would clearly be
[2:22]not only illegal, but morally >> repugnant, would it not? You'd agree with me that it should not be the policy of the United States to do it. >> But, in your question, you're you're suggesting there's such a policy. I'm
[2:34]telling you there is no such policy. >> Well, if there is no such policy, then I presume you would investigate it. >> Um when I see the lawsuit, I'm just not
[2:45]familiar with it. We will, of course, do what's appropriate. >> you'd agree with me that it would be wrong. >> When that it would be wrong, meaning it would be wrong to send by somebody home to be tortured. Yes.
[2:56]>> Let me ask you uh about uh allegations in connection with David Gentili. I think we talked about the these
[3:07]allegations when you visited me. Thank you for coming to my office in May of 2025, David Gentili was sentenced to 7 years in prison
[3:18]for his role in an almost $1.8 billion Ponzi-like scheme that defrauded over 10,000 investors,
[3:27]many of them middle-class retirees, of their hard-earned savings. And he was imprisoned. He boasted to
[3:39]fellow inmates and others that he was going to be released because he paid $2.5 million for for clemency. Evidence collected by the Eastern
[3:49]District of New York supported those allegations and reportedly also
[3:58]included statements by Father Frank Man that he spoke to the President about David Gentili.
[4:09]The Eastern District of New York was investigating these allegations and reportedly received a call from one of your top deputies instructing them
[4:20]about the concerns of the Department of Justice. The investigation was stopped by the Eastern District of New York. I wrote to you on June 23rd
[4:32]and United States Attorney Joseph Nacchio about these allegations that investigation into this impropriety was shut down
[4:42]at the request of your office. Did you have any involvement or knowledge about the commutation of Mr. Gentili's
[4:54]sentence? >> President Trump, as as I've said a couple times today, has full authority to pardon or commute anybody convicted of a federal crime. >> That's not my question.
[5:05]>> So, I I'm answering your question, Senator. >> Did you >> I'm answering your question. Um so, um what my communications with President Trump I will not talk about. Um he does not, nor should he,
[5:17]he has no obligation to discuss um pardon or commutation decisions with me, and he has not. As far as the the um what you just suggested about an investigation, I believe you're
[5:27]referring to a news article that was a the result of um apparent leaks, and I I I would caution that there's falsehoods in those news articles.
[5:38]>> I'm asking you whether you had any involvement in commuting that sentence or in stopping the investigation into the allegations of impropriety payment
[5:50]to possibly payment to Father Frankman. >> And I answered the first question, but when you say stopping an investigation, there's an assumption built into your question that I will not concede. We
[6:02]will not talk about whether exist investigations exist or don't exist, and certainly some leak about something that we supposedly did doesn't warrant an answer either. >> There was an investigation.
[6:13]Correct? >> I am No, I That's my whole point in saying is that there's an assumption baked into your question that I don't think is true. Meaning that we cannot comment on even the existence of investigations like that.
[6:24]>> this morning to Republican colleagues about several investigations. >> No, I haven't. >> Well, you commented in response to the chairman about the FISA investigation. >> About the what? Excuse me?
[6:36]>> The investigation that he asked you about. >> So, Senator, my point is that you're asking me questions about a news article, the source of which was apparently leaks. Um it would be inappropriate for me as the acting
[6:48]Attorney General to comment on such leaks or news articles that that you're referencing. But I When it goes >> I accept that you're not going to answer my question, but I think there is a need
[6:59]for the Inspector General to look into the investigation that was apparently, according to these articles and other information, stopped as a result of your
[7:09]intervention. Let me Let me move on. Uh in 2017, more than uh 10,000 9/11 victims filed suit
[7:19]against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Uh that lawsuit is heading to trial. Information
[7:28]uh was promised by President Trump in September of 2019. That information has not been provided. Will you commit to meet with those
[7:39]families and provide the information they need for their lawsuit. >> Um Folks in my office have met with the representatives of those families. We will commit to continuing to to have
[7:50]communications, of course. >> And provide the information they're seeking. >> Well, you're saying I don't know what the information is you're talking about. So, obviously, I can't just commit to providing the information. >> Well, let's talk about other
[8:00]information. Information about the Epstein abuses. Your predecessor apologized to the Epstein survivors with good
[8:11]reason. Because, as you've said today, mistakes were made. I'm asking you today
[8:20]with Epstein survivors in this room to apologize to them. >> Well, so my heart breaks for every victim
[8:31]of any sexual crime, whether it's involving Mr. Epstein or somebody else. And so, if you're asking me to apologize that this happened to them, of course, absolutely. This is a horrible thing,
[8:42]which is why this Department of Justice and this administration is focused very heavily on going after these predators. And so, yes, of course, that's part of my job is being empathetic to the victims of crime.
[8:54]>> to them for the mishandling and mistakes that were made by the United States Department of Justice? >> I will I will absolutely say that any
[9:04]mistake that we made should not have been made. And I very much I very much apol- I can answer the question or you can just interrupt me, Senator, but I I am answering your question.
[9:15]I very much am and I have said this to anybody that asked in publicly before. Any mistake that was made is not appropriate. And so, yes, I am sorry
[9:25]that in about 1% of the of the documents, mistakes were made. But, what I will say on top of that is we put tons of resources to rectifying those mistakes immediately, including pulling
[9:36]down documents within minutes of being informed that they were there were mistakes, potential mistakes made, and working 24/7 to rectify any mistakes. And And that's what I would expect the victims would want us to do and their
[9:47]counsel and and this body as well. >> And you'd agree with me when you that you can well meet with any of the survivors or victims with their counsel
[9:59]present. You said you can't meet with them, but you could meet with them if they >> said I can't meet with them. I said if they were represented I had to meet through through counsel, but of course I can meet with them. Um I'm the acting
[10:11]Attorney General of the United States, so yes, I can. I I very strongly believe that if for these victims to tell their stories and the evidence that they have, they should meet like any victim of a
[10:21]crime with the FBI um or a law enforcement agent, and that we will do everything we can to prosecute if we can. >> The judge in Florida
[10:32]referred your misconduct. She concluded that there was misconduct and misrepresentation and improper purpose in that legal action
[10:44]to the bar of New York for potential discipline including losing your law license. I know you disagree with the result of the ruling. Has
[10:54]that kind of referral ever happen by a federal judge for an Attorney General of the United States? >> Can you go >> know, but I'll tell you something. >> Comment.
[11:05]>> That judge never asked us to respond. She never gave us an opportunity to respond to anything. And she didn't refer me. She just asked that a copy of the order be provided to the New York bar because there's several activist groups that have filed complaints
[11:17]against me. So So listen, I as I've said earlier, I I think anybody on this committee, especially the lawyers that have practiced, can read that opinion and reach their own conclusions, but I
[11:27]very much disagree um with with the judges um insinuations about me. Um and and we're going to do what we can to make that right. >> One one last question. Would you agree
[11:37]with me that agents of the United States should not fire into cars unless they're fire their weapons into cars unless there is an imminent threat? >> Give a short answer to that.
[11:48]>> There's a well-established standard as to when an agent can discharge a firearm and I think that that's that's something that's that that should be followed in every case. >> And that includes not firing weapons
[12:00]into cars. >> Mr. Chairman >> Before I Well, do you want to respond to >> I mean There's not really a response. It It requires federal agents to follow the rules.
[12:12]>> Then let's move on. Before I call on Senator Britt, I want to another letter supporting the nominee from the American Border Story, a
[12:22]national organization representing 300 Angel Families. Quoting from the letter, the families we
[12:30]work with are not focused on politics. They want leaders who take crime seriously, who understand the national security
[12:40]implications of open border criminal open border criminal networks and who will prioritize victims over ideology.
[12:50]We believe Todd Blanche understands that responsibility and would approach the office of Attorney General with seriousness it demands. End of quote. Without
[13:02]objection, that'll be entered in the record. Senator Britt. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I think that's an excellent segue. I appreciate your commitment to all of the victims,
[13:14]the Epstein victims. Your commitment to hear from them and fight for them. Thank you for saying that today. I only wish that my Democratic colleagues had that
[13:23]same level of conviction when it came to meeting with the families of those who have lost loved ones at the hands of illegal aliens. So, thank you for that
[13:33]letter. Thank you for your commitment. I can only hope that they will answer the call and meet with their own constituencies who unfortunately um have
[13:42]lost um ones that they hold dear. Mr. Branch, um I want to applaud the work that you and DOJ have done to reduce crime and violent crime across
[13:53]the country. We've heard it a number of times here today both in the chairman's opening to Senator Moody talking about it to you talking about it. We currently have the lowest murder rate that we've
[14:04]had since 1900. When you're looking at violent crime arrest, we are up 184%. This is real results. This is what you're supposed to be doing, keeping
[14:15]Americans safe. We know that you've done that through a number of ways, um task force and joint operations, interagency cooperation. We've seen the forces,
[14:26]those task forces, successfully pursue numerous cases in our state related to major major drug trafficking, related to firearms trafficking, um
[14:36]all of which has been linked to in many cases, you know, broader criminal enterprises. So, we're glad that our children are safer and that our communities are safer. What
[14:47]I'd like to know from you um because we've seen in Alabama this have tremendous results. We've even seen in one case uh a corrupt local law enforcement officer in the Southern
[14:57]District of Alabama who had engaged in a range of criminal activities um in his capacity as an officer being held accountable through this work. Um
[15:08]based on what I've seen in Alabama, I hope that you continue this all across the country. Can you speak to the work of these task forces and the success that you've seen and how you intend to
[15:19]build upon this work moving forward um if and when confirmed. >> Yes. So, the Homeland Security Task Force regime that we've set up in every single state and every single district
[15:30]in this country is designed to do what just what you were describing. So, work not just with the federal government, not just DOJ, but to work with Department of Homeland Security,
[15:40]sheriffs, cops, local prosecutors, local law enforcement, and and assistant US attorneys to go into that community and eradicate it of human trafficking,
[15:51]drug dealers, narcoterrorism, and the the results it's been set up for almost a year in most in most places, and and the results are evident in the statistics that we show, but they're
[16:02]really more evident when when I go out to US Attorney's offices and meet with HSTF groups like I do all the time. Um, to a person they say this is what we needed forever. This is what works. Having law
[16:14]enforcement get together in a room and say, "We need to tackle this gang or this apartment building has a drug problem or the even this individual needs to be targeted because he's a violent felon and needs to go off the
[16:26]streets." It's it's basic law enforcement that that I've done for a long time that that President Trump echoes and and trumpets and has done since January 20th, and and that's why I think that's why we're seeing the
[16:38]success that we're seeing, and we're not slowing down. HSTFs are are up and running full speed ahead, and and I hope that we continue to still see the
[16:48]results that we've seen over the past 10 months or so. >> Thank you for your commitment to that and all the work that you've done. Um, I want to take a a brief moment. Our
[16:58]distinguished and late colleague, Senator Graham, was excited about your nomination. He was passionate about many things, um,
[17:08]which we saw here in this committee, um, just in amazing ways. One of the things that he was a champion of was the unborn.
[17:19]And that is a deeply held conviction that we both have. And I want to talk to you and address the issue of the chemical abortion drug
[17:29]that we have seen just spread coast to coast. As you know, pursuant to a Biden era administration misread administrative action, the FDA, there is
[17:40]no longer an in-person dispensing requirement in place for the drug, for mifepristone. It allows it to literally be dispersed
[17:52]across state lines, all across the country. We are losing children,
[18:03]and we are putting women in harm's way. Look, it has no oversight, no safeguard.
[18:12]I got to hear the story of Jonna Affholder, who's here with us today, and I am so grateful for her willingness to be here. But I got to hear it firsthand
[18:23]yesterday. I know many people have read her story in recent news articles about her then boyfriend, now ex-boyfriend, a doctor, no less, actually forcing a
[18:34]crushed abortion pill into her mouth in the middle of the night, then taking her keys,
[18:44]holding her hostage so that she could get help. This is sick and twisted and must stop. He used his ex-wife's information to buy
[18:57]those drugs online to kill his own child. And to endanger Jonna's life, and sadly her story is one of many. And so, can you commit to me
[19:08]today that this administration and DOJ will prioritize taking meaningful and thoughtful action to address the dangers that occurred in the current status quo
[19:19]to women all over this country. >> I absolutely, Senator. And it's not only what the Department of Justice can do, but it's what the FDA is doing right now
[19:29]for the first time in a decade, actually doing real studies about the safety and then the appropriateness of these drugs. And you know, I've seen video myself of of
[19:39]what appears to be pills coming even from overseas um to to young women and doesn't matter who applies for it. Anybody can get it. There's no instructions. They just come dumped out
[19:50]of a little plastic bag and and it's it's wrong and I very much commit our