Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was put on the spot Wednesday during his Senate confirmation hearing regarding the Justice Department’s repeated attempts to seize states’ voter rolls, and was reminded of his agency’s repeated failures to enact President Donald Trump’s “election interference” agenda.
The Trump administration has sought to gain access to states’ voter registration lists, with the Justice Department suing countless states in order to compel them to hand over their rolls. The administration has gone as far as to impose new rules that would punish defiant states by cutting federal funding earmarked for disaster preparedness, rules that one former Trump official called “extortion.”
In all cases, however, the Trump administration has come up short, and Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) was hoping Blanche might admit to this fact.
“Since last year, DOJ has sued 30 states seeking their voter lists; 14 of those lawsuits have been resolved by federal judges,” Hirono said. “Mr. Blanche, did any of those 14 federal court judges from across the country agree with DOJ's legal position? Yes or no.”
After a brief pause, Blanche answered with a vague response.
“Um... with some of the legal positions, yes,” Blanche said.
“Pardon?” Hirono asked.
Blanche went on to declaratively state, “The answer to your question is yes, some of the judges agreed with some of our legal positions, and most of those cases are under appeal.”
Hirono appeared eager to correct the record, and gave a little laugh as she did so.
“Actually, that's not correct. The answer is actually no,” Hirono said. “These 14 federal judges – some of them Trump appointees – disagreed with DOJ's position in terms of getting access to these voter rolls. It's all part of DOJ's attempt – and with the president – at election interference.”