Concerns Rise as Todd Blanche Seeks Confirmation as AG

WHO:

Alternet - Todd Blanche, acting Attorney General; Judge Kathleen Williams, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida; Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas); Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii); Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana).

Alternet - Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone, former prosecutors and ex-colleagues of Todd Blanche, stated that he "cannot be trusted" and urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject his nomination to be attorney general.

Alternet - Judge Kathleen Williams rebuked Todd Blanche's judgment in a case involving Trump and the IRS, calling it "an exercise in self-dealing."

Alternet - Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone, former prosecutors and ex-colleagues of Todd Blanche, stated that they once considered him a close friend.

Alternet - Todd Blanche, attorney general nominee; President Donald Trump; Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone, former prosecutors and ex-colleagues of Blanche.

NBC News - Todd Blanche, acting Attorney General; survivors of Jeffrey Epstein.

WHAT:

Alternet - Todd Blanche's confirmation hearing included a sharp rebuke from Judge Kathleen Williams, who characterized the settlement in Trump's IRS lawsuit as "collusive" and stated it had "no viable basis in law or fact."

Alternet - The settlement agreement included a provision for a $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" to compensate individuals, including January 6 insurrectionists.

NBC News - During the confirmation hearing, Sen. John Cornyn confronted Todd Blanche about the enforceability of the settlement agreement, reading verbatim from the agreement that it "can be modified, may be modified only upon the written agreement of the parties."

NBC News - Blanche stated that the fund was "moot" and claimed that only "the five commissioners" would control it, asserting that Trump had "no power over the fund."

Alternet - Blanche's congressional testimony that the "Anti-Weaponization Fund" aspect of the settlement would not go forward proved that the entire agreement was collusive.

Alternet - Judge Williams directed the clerk to send a copy of her ruling to the State Bar of New York, where Blanche is licensed, following a 73-page ethics complaint filed against him by over 100 former state and federal judges.

Alternet - Judge Kathleen Williams issued a 56-page order voiding the settlement in Trump's IRS lawsuit, characterizing it as "collusive" and "self-dealing."

Alternet - The settlement agreement included a provision for a $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" to compensate individuals, including January 6 insurrectionists.

NBC News - Blanche stated during the hearing, "We made the decision to settle the case, correct, yeah," confirming his role in the settlement.

Alternet - The settlement agreement in the IRS lawsuit included a provision for a fund to pay off individuals who believed they were targets of the U.S. government, which critics labeled as a "slush fund."

NBC News - Todd Blanche confirmed during the hearing, "We made the decision to settle the case, correct, yeah," regarding the IRS lawsuit.

Alternet - Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone stated that Todd Blanche's actions have led to a loss of trust in the DOJ, claiming that under his leadership, cases have been dismissed and U.S. attorneys have been humiliated in court.

Alternet - The lawyers criticized Blanche for facilitating a settlement in a lawsuit brought by Trump against the IRS, describing it as benefiting Trump personally rather than serving the public interest, and labeling the lawsuit as "facially frivolous."

NBC News - Todd Blanche confirmed during the hearing, "We made the decision to settle the case, correct, yeah," regarding the IRS lawsuit.

NBC News - Sen. John Cornyn confronted Todd Blanche about the enforceability of the settlement agreement, reading verbatim from the agreement that it "can be modified, may be modified only upon the written agreement of the parties."

NBC News - Blanche stated that the fund was "moot" and claimed that only "the five commissioners" would control it, asserting that Trump had "no power over the fund."

NBC News - Blanche claimed that the fund was "moot" and stated that only "the five commissioners" would control it, asserting that Trump had "no power over the fund."

NBC News - Blanche stated that the settlement agreement remains enforceable as a contract by the parties.

NBC News - Blanche acknowledged that if Trump's counsel sought to enforce the settlement, they potentially could.

Alternet - Todd Blanche's confirmation hearing included a sharp rebuke from a federal judge, Kathleen Williams, who characterized the settlement in Trump's IRS lawsuit as "self-dealing" and stated it had "no viable basis in law or fact."

Alternet - Blanche has maintained that the "weaponization" fund related to the IRS settlement is "dead" and would not be created, despite Sen. John Cornyn's assertion that the settlement agreement still establishes the fund.

Fox News - During the confirmation hearing, Blanche stated, "We made the decision to settle the case, correct, yeah," confirming that he chose to settle rather than defend the IRS.

NBC News - Blanche faced tough questioning regarding his independence as he navigated a narrow path to confirmation as Attorney General, with concerns raised by both Republican and Democratic senators.

Alternet - A federal judge, Kathleen Williams, voided the settlement in a 56-page order, characterizing it as "self-dealing" due to the nature of the lawsuit involving Trump and the IRS.

Alternet - The settlement agreement included a provision for a fund to pay off individuals who believed they were targets of the U.S. government, which was described as a "slush fund" by critics.

NBC News - Todd Blanche defended the Justice Department's handling of the release of the Epstein files after facing criticism for redactions and files not immediately available.

Alternet - Blanche argued that he used Justice Department powers to help facilitate a lawsuit against the IRS that was described as "facially frivolous."

Alternet - A federal judge, Kathleen Williams, rebuked Blanche's judgment in a case involving Trump and the IRS, calling it "an exercise in self-dealing."

NBC News - During the confirmation hearing, Sen. John Cornyn confronted Blanche about the "weaponization" fund, questioning the enforceability of the settlement agreement and whether Trump had agreed in writing to delete the fund.

Alternet - Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone stated that Blanche "cannot be trusted" and urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject his nomination.

NBC News - Todd Blanche is set to face a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

NBC News - Todd Blanche defended the Justice Department's handling of the release of the Epstein files after facing criticism for redactions and files not immediately available.

Alternet - Blanche argued that he used Justice Department powers to help facilitate a lawsuit against the IRS that was described as "facially frivolous."

Alternet - Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone stated that a federal judge rebuked Todd Blanche's judgment in a case involving Trump and the IRS, calling it "an exercise in self-dealing" and criticizing the settlement as having "no viable basis in law or fact."

Alternet - The settlement agreement between Trump and the IRS included a provision for a fund to pay off individuals who believed they were targets of the U.S. government, which Blanche facilitated.

Alternet - Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone stated that Blanche's actions have led to a loss of trust in the DOJ and have harmed its reputation in court, claiming that under Blanche's leadership, cases have been dismissed and U.S. attorneys have been humiliated in court.

Alternet - Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone stated that Blanche "cannot be trusted" and urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject his nomination.

Alternet - A federal judge, Kathleen Williams, rebuked Blanche's judgment in a case involving Trump and the IRS, calling it "an exercise in self-dealing."

NBC News - Todd Blanche is set to face a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

WHERE:

NBC News - The confirmation hearing is taking place on Capitol Hill.

WHEN:

NBC News - The confirmation hearing for Todd Blanche is scheduled to occur soon.

WHY:

Alternet - Rocah and Carbone expressed concerns that Blanche has allowed Trump to dictate how the Justice Department is run, undermining its independence.

Alternet - The lawyers argued that Blanche's actions have led to a loss of trust in the DOJ and have harmed its reputation in court.

HOW:

Alternet - Sen. John Cornyn confronted Blanche about the enforceability of the settlement agreement, reading verbatim from the agreement that it "can be modified, may be modified only upon the written agreement of the parties."

Alternet - Blanche claimed that Trump has "no power over the fund" and that only "the five commissioners" would control it.

Alternet - Sen. John Cornyn confronted Todd Blanche about the enforceability of the settlement agreement, reading verbatim from the agreement that it "can be modified, may be modified only upon the written agreement of the parties."

Alternet - During the confirmation hearing, Sen. John Cornyn confronted Todd Blanche about the enforceability of the settlement agreement, reading verbatim from the agreement that it "can be modified, may be modified only upon the written agreement of the parties."

Alternet - Blanche stated that the fund was "moot" and claimed that only "the five commissioners" would control it, asserting that Trump had "no power over the fund."

NBC News - Blanche claimed that the fund was "moot" and stated that only "the five commissioners" would control it, asserting that Trump had "no power over the fund."

Alternet - Blanche argued in an April press conference that Trump has a “right” and a “duty” to run federal cases against people who investigated him.

Alternet - Blanche's efforts included facilitating a settlement in a lawsuit brought by Trump against the IRS, which the lawyers described as benefiting Trump personally rather than serving the public interest.

Alternet - Blanche stated that the fund was "moot" and claimed that only "the five commissioners" would control it, asserting that Trump had "no power over the fund."

NBC News - Blanche claimed that the fund was "moot" and stated that only "the five commissioners" would control it, asserting that Trump had "no power over the fund."

Alternet - Blanche argued in an April press conference that Trump has a “right” and a “duty” to run federal cases against people who investigated him.

(UPDATED July 16, 2026 13:23 UTC)

In a tense confirmation hearing, Judge Kathleen Williams sharply criticized the settlement in Trump's IRS lawsuit, labeling it as "collusive" and lacking any viable legal basis. The settlement includes a $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" intended to compensate individuals, including those involved in the January 6 insurrection, but Todd Blanche argued that the fund was "moot" and under the control of "the five commissioners," not Trump. Following the hearing, Judge Williams directed the clerk to send her ruling to the State Bar of New York, where Blanche is licensed, after more than 100 former judges filed a 73-page ethics complaint against him.

(UPDATED July 16, 2026 12:21 UTC)

In a significant legal development, Judge Kathleen Williams has issued a 56-page order voiding the settlement in Trump's IRS lawsuit, labeling it as "collusive" and "self-dealing." The settlement included a controversial provision for a $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" intended to compensate individuals, including those involved in the January 6 insurrection. During the hearing, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the decision to settle and asserted that Trump has "no power over the fund," which would be controlled solely by five commissioners.

(UPDATED July 16, 2026 11:28 UTC)

Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone, former prosecutors and ex-colleagues of Todd Blanche, have urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to reject his nomination for attorney general, stating he "cannot be trusted." During a recent hearing, Blanche confirmed the decision to settle an IRS lawsuit that included a controversial provision for a fund to pay individuals who believed they were targets of the U.S. government, which critics have labeled a "slush fund." Senator John Cornyn challenged Blanche on the settlement's enforceability, pointing out that it can only be modified with the written agreement of the parties involved.

(UPDATED July 16, 2026 06:42 UTC)

Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone have criticized Todd Blanche for his leadership, claiming it has resulted in a loss of trust in the DOJ, with cases being dismissed and U.S. attorneys humiliated in court. During a recent hearing, Blanche confirmed the decision to settle a lawsuit brought by Trump against the IRS, which the lawyers labeled as benefiting Trump personally and described as "facially frivolous." Blanche also stated that the settlement agreement remains enforceable, acknowledging that if Trump's counsel sought to enforce it, they potentially could.

(UPDATED July 16, 2026 02:49 UTC)

During Todd Blanche's confirmation hearing, federal judge Kathleen Williams sharply criticized the settlement in Trump's IRS lawsuit, labeling it as "self-dealing" with "no viable basis in law or fact." Blanche asserted that the "weaponization" fund related to the IRS settlement is "dead" and would not be created, despite Senator John Cornyn's claim that the settlement agreement still establishes the fund. As he faced rigorous questioning about his independence, Blanche confirmed that he opted to settle the case rather than defend the IRS, navigating a challenging path to confirmation as Attorney General.

(UPDATED July 16, 2026 01:21 UTC)

A federal judge, Kathleen Williams, has voided a settlement agreement involving Trump and the IRS, labeling it as "self-dealing" in a detailed 56-page order. The settlement included a controversial provision for a fund intended to compensate individuals who felt targeted by the U.S. government, which critics have referred to as a "slush fund." During a recent confirmation hearing, Senator John Cornyn pressed Todd Blanche on the settlement's enforceability, highlighting that it could only be modified with the written agreement of the involved parties.

(UPDATED July 16, 2026 00:15 UTC)

Todd Blanche is facing scrutiny during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill, with critics like Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone arguing that his actions have eroded trust in the Justice Department and allowed Trump to exert undue influence. Blanche defended his handling of the Epstein files and claimed that a lawsuit against the IRS, which he facilitated, was necessary, despite being labeled "facially frivolous" by lawyers. During the hearing, Senator John Cornyn challenged Blanche on the enforceability of a settlement agreement related to the lawsuit, emphasizing concerns about its implications for the Justice Department's independence.

(UPDATED July 15, 2026 20:25 UTC)

Todd Blanche is facing significant criticism for his leadership at the Justice Department, with Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone claiming that his actions have led to a loss of trust and humiliation for U.S. attorneys in court. In response to concerns over the release of the Epstein files, Blanche defended the department's handling, addressing issues related to redactions and the timing of file availability. During a confrontation with Senator John Cornyn, Blanche described the fund related to a settlement agreement as "moot," insisting that only "the five commissioners" would control it and asserting that Trump had "no power over the fund."

(UPDATED July 15, 2026 16:23 UTC)

A federal judge has criticized Todd Blanche's judgment in a case involving Trump and the IRS, labeling it "an exercise in self-dealing" and stating that the settlement lacks any viable basis in law or fact. The settlement included a provision for a fund intended to compensate individuals who believed they were targets of the U.S. government, which Blanche facilitated, but during a confirmation hearing, Senator John Cornyn pressed him on the enforceability of this agreement and whether Trump had consented in writing to eliminate the fund. In response, Blanche argued that the fund was "moot" and emphasized that only "the five commissioners" would have control over it, insisting that Trump had "no power over the fund."

(UPDATED July 15, 2026 15:23 UTC)

Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone have criticized Blanche for undermining trust in the Department of Justice, claiming that her leadership has led to dismissed cases and humiliation for U.S. attorneys in court. They also took issue with her role in facilitating a settlement in a lawsuit brought by Trump against the IRS, calling it a personal benefit for Trump rather than a matter of public interest and labeling the lawsuit as "facially frivolous." In response, Blanche previously stated that Trump has a “right” and a “duty” to pursue federal cases against those who investigated him.

(UPDATED July 15, 2026 14:33 UTC)

Todd Blanche, the acting Attorney General and nominee for the position, is set to face a confirmation hearing soon on Capitol Hill, where he will be scrutinized by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Former prosecutors Mimi Rocah and Perry Carbone have publicly stated that Blanche "cannot be trusted," citing concerns over his judgment and actions that they believe have allowed Trump to undermine the independence of the Justice Department. They argue that Blanche's involvement in a settlement related to a lawsuit brought by Trump against the IRS has resulted in a loss of trust in the DOJ and has harmed its reputation in court.