Chuck Grassley

Mr. President, The ask · 32 wordslater today, I hope the Senate will vote to confirm the nomination of Todd Blanche to be Attorney General. I support his nomination, and I urge my colleagues to vote for him. Positioning · 57 wordsMr. Blanche is nominated to one of the most important offices in our country, and he has shown that he is up to that task. His impressive background and the presentation at our hearing in the Judiciary Committee are proof that he has led the Justice Department with distinction and is well suited to continue doing that.Positioning Claims · 31 wordsDuring his hearing, Mr. Blanche answered questions for more than 5 hours.¹ His testimony reinforced what we already knew about his proven record as Acting Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General.Unearned certainty Positioning · 25 wordsMr. Blanche is a tough, fair prosecutor, dedicated to the rule of law, and his leadership instills that same zeal throughout the entire Justice Department.Positioning Claims · 106 wordsMr. Blanche began his career clerking for two Federal judges, two Federal judges that were appointed by different political parties of the Presidency.² He then spent nearly a decade as a Federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York.³ During that time, Mr. Blanche handled a wide array of criminal matters, including narcotic trafficking and violent crimes.⁴ Mr. Blanche eventually entered private practice, where he had a very successful career with many high-profile cases. But his love of country brought him back to the public service that he is in right now, repeating again serving as Deputy Attorney General and now as Acting Attorney General. Positioning · 18 wordsThroughout his career, Mr. Blanche demonstrated an unwavering commitment to public service and the fair administration of justice.Positioning Claims · 34 wordsAt his hearing and many times since, I have detailed the successes of the Justice Department under Mr. Blanche’s leadership. Indeed, the statistics prove that Americans are safer with Mr. Blanche at the helm. Procedure · 6 wordsSo let’s look at that picture.Procedure Claims · 139 wordsUnder his leadership, fraud enforcement efforts have been ramped up; arrests of violent crimes and criminals engaged in child exploitation have increased; terrorist plots have been successfully thwarted; massive quantities of illegal firearms and harmful drugs, especially like fentanyl, have been seized. So, as a result, the United States has the lowest murder rate since 1900, ⁵and crime trends throughout the country have declined. According to the Council of Criminal Justice’s 2026 midyear report, the reported rates for homicide have dropped 51 percent from its peak 9 years ago; ⁶carjacking dropped 73 percent; ⁷residential burglaries down 56 percent; ⁸motor vehicle thefts down 51 percent.⁹ Now, you could go on and on with a whole bunch of other statistics because, according to this report, every single violent crime category and nearly all property crime categories have dropped below prepandemic levels, ¹⁰Reasoning · 20 wordsand that didn’t happen by accident. It happened, why? Because Mr. Blanche refocused the Justice Department on keeping Americans safe. Positioning · 24 wordsThat is the sort of impact we should want and should expect from the Justice Department and any Attorney General that heads that Department.Positioning Claims · 210 wordsAnd that is what Mr. Blanche has delivered. We heard about it at Mr. Blanche’s hearing. The committee heard a heart-wrenching testimony from an Angel Mom, Jennifer Bos.¹¹ She told us about her daughter’s tragic and gruesome death. She explained the importance of Mr. Blanche’s focus on keeping Americans safe. Ms. Bos stated: This sentiment was shared in the outpouring of support the committee received for Mr. Blanche’s nomination. Three hundred Angel Moms wrote a letter thanking Mr. Blanche for prioritizing victims and focusing the Department’s efforts on stopping illegal immigration, ending drug and human trafficking, ¹²and protecting America’s communities from violent crime. The committee also received several letters from major law enforcement organizations that collectively represent hundreds of thousands of law enforcement officers all across our country. They praise Mr. Blanche’s focus on public safety, the rule of law, and his unwavering support for law enforcement professionals, the people that risk their lives daily to protect our families and our communities. In total, the committee received more than 30 letters supporting Mr. Blanche’s nomination.¹³ These include more than 100 former Justice Department attorneys, chiefs of staff, U.S. attorneys, ¹⁴and other senior officials. Mr. Blanche’s nomination was also supported by multiple former Attorneys General, including John Ashcroft and Bill Barr.¹⁵ Positioning · 13 wordsThese former Attorneys General know what it takes to run the Justice Department.Positioning Reasoning · 35 wordsNow, between his proven track record, his presentations to our committee, and the support he has received from across the country, I am convinced Mr. Blanche is the right choice to lead the Justice Department. Positioning · 34 wordsA vote for Todd Blanche is a vote for the safety of the American people. That is a vote the American people deserve, and that is a vote that I am proud to cast.Positioning The ask · 18 wordsSo I urge all my colleagues to join me in voting to confirm Mr. Blanche as Attorney General.