Senator blows up on Todd Blanche for 'inappropriate' pot shot in hearing
What started out as a very non-contentious questioning by Sen. Jeffrey Merkley (D-OR) of Todd Blanche ended in acrimony after the acting attorney general took a shot at President Joe Biden as the five-minute questioning period concluded.
Earlier, as Merkley addressed Blanche as part of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Democrat offered to get the DOJ increased funding, long before the questioning took an ugly turn that led the Oregon Democrat to upbraid the witness.
Merkley brought up Trump much discussed “enemies list” and accused the Department of Justice of doing the president’s bidding.
“Do you commit to pursue [criminality] regardless of political affiliation, free of prejudice about party affiliation?” he asked.
“Of course,” Blanche replied.
You say, ‘of course' when this president has repeatedly spoken of an enemies list that he wants to go after,” the Democrat followed up. “I must say it is one of the symbols of the breakdown of a democratic republic when a president uses his Department of Justice, which you now head, to go after his perceived political enemies. I hope you will not be party to that.”
“I couldn't agree with you more,” the Trump appointee interjected. “That is why what happened during the Biden administration was so disgusting.”
“That is completely inappropriate and wrong!” the exasperated Merkley shot back. “There is no comparison to the absolute fair-minded pursuit of justice under the previous administration and this administration's pursuit of an enemies list.”
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