Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche touted Justice Department achievements under the second Trump administration at the outset of his potentially volatile Senate confirmation hearing.
“Murders are down roughly 20 percent nationwide. We have the lowest murder rate since 1900. Violent crime arrests are up nearly 114 percent,” Blanche said.
“We’ve taken almost 5,000 child predators and human traffickers off the streets, and the Department of Justice has filed nearly 100,000 indictments.”
Homicides also plummeted 60 percent in the District of Columbia and 40 percent in Memphis, he added, following President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy National Guard troops to bolster law enforcement in those cities.
His comments followed an opening statement by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) questioning whether his appointment represents a conflict of interest.
“When you were first nominated to be deputy attorney general, Democrats raised concerns about the president’s personal attorney serving as the top attorney in the Justice Department,” Durbin said.
“Since you were confirmed, the Department of Justice has literally violated dozens of court orders to advance the president’s agenda.”
