WATCH: Todd Blanche Returns to Senate for Second Day of Attorney General Confirmation Hearings

The acting attorney general faces continued questioning over crime policy, President Donald Trump’s IRS lawsuit and the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files as a key Republican senator remains undecided.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche returned to Capitol Hill on Thursday for a second day of testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee as he seeks confirmation to lead the Justice Department on a permanent basis.

WATCH:

Blanche, President Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, is answering questions from the 20-member committee before senators decide whether to recommend advancing his nomination to the full Senate for a final confirmation vote.

The outcome may depend on Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who remained publicly undecided after Wednesday’s hearing. Blanche is expected to need the support of all 11 Republican members of the committee to secure a favorable recommendation.

During the first day of testimony, Blanche emphasized the Trump administration’s record on violent crime and highlighted Justice Department efforts in Memphis, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C.

Blanche has served as acting attorney general since April and pointed to the department’s role in reducing violent crime in those cities as evidence of the administration’s broader public safety strategy.

Committee members also pressed him on several politically sensitive matters, including Trump’s lawsuit involving the Internal Revenue Service and the Justice Department’s handling of the records commonly referred to as the Epstein files.

Those issues are expected to remain central during Thursday’s questioning as senators examine Blanche’s judgment, independence and management of the department.

The Judiciary Committee will vote after the question-and-answer sessions conclude on whether to advance the nomination. A favorable recommendation would send Blanche’s nomination to the full Senate, where a final confirmation vote would determine whether he remains attorney general beyond his current acting tenure.

With Cornyn’s position still uncertain, Thursday’s hearing could prove decisive in determining whether Blanche has enough Republican support to clear the committee.