'There were mistakes': Acting US attorney general Blanche grilled over Trump ties and Epstein files
Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche faced a Senate confirmation hearing where he was questioned about his previous role as Donald Trump's defense lawyer and the Justice Department's handling of Jeffrey Epstein's files. Blanche apologized for past mistakes regarding the Epstein documents and affirmed his commitment to legal independence.
Why it matters
The confirmation of the nation's top law enforcement official is critical for public trust, especially given the nominee's close professional history with the President.
Acting United States attorney general Todd Blanche faced sharp questions from both Republican and Democratic senators during his senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, as he was seeking permanent appointment as the country's top law enforcement official.The hearing centred on the Justice Department's handling of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Lawmakers raised concerns over delays in releasing millions of pages of documents, extensive redactions, and the department's treatment of survivors.When Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal asked whether he would apologise to Epstein survivors, Blanche admitted mistakes had been made, saying, "I will absolutely say that any mistake that we made should not have been made...
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