Senator Collins’ Statement on Nomination of Todd Blanche to Serve as Attorney General

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement on the nomination of Todd Blanche to serve as United States Attorney General: “I have carefully reviewed Todd Blanche’s qualifications to be Attorney General. This includes his record and responses to questions from Senators at the Department of Justice Appropriations hearing, his confirmation hearing, and in the weeks that followed. “While I believe Mr. Blanche is a capable lawyer, the Department of Justice has become increasingly political. “Mr. Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the Department’s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation: “Mr. Blanche approved an order to shield the President, his sons, and the family business from IRS audits, protections unavailable to other American taxpayers. “He approved the creation of a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund. “He promised an anti-abortion organization that he would seek to prohibit the mailing of abortion medication to women nationwide. “Under his leadership, the Department attempted to indict Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin over their ill-advised, but constitutionally protected, videos encouraging resistance to unlawful orders. “More than 1,200 former Department of Justice employees have opposed his nomination, arguing that he has undermined the institution. “For these reasons, I will vote against this nomination.” ###