‘You’re Obviously Lying’: Todd Blanche Snaps at Dem Senator in Hearing Clash Over J6er ‘Slush Fund’ Bribe Claim

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche accused Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) of “obviously lying” Tuesday as he was grilled over whether January 6 rioters would get a cut of President Donald Trump’s newly launched $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund.

The fund, designed to compensate people who claim they were unfairly targeted in prosecutions under past administrations, will see the Treasury Department deposit money into an account overseen by a group selected by the attorney general. Critics, including some MAGA pundits, have voiced concern about who — including those who assaulted Capitol police officers in 2021 — might receive money from the pot.

On Tuesday Blanche was testifying before a Senate subcommittee on the Justice Department’s 2027 budget when he was pressed by Van Hollen to make clarifications on how the initiative would work and ensure “violent” offenders would not benefit.

“Mr. Attorney General, let me ask you this, are there going to be rules that say that if you’ve assaulted a Capitol Hill police officer or committed a violent crime, you will not be eligible?” the senator asked. “Why not make that a rule?”

“Well, because I’m not one of the commissioners setting up the rules,” Blanche replied.

“You’re appointing four of five members,” Van Hollen snapped.

“I am appointing all five members,” Blanche said.

The senator continued: “You can certainly set up the rules. I would hope you would make a rule that anyone convicted of assaulting a police officer of violent crime is simply not eligible. They should not apply.”

After asking briefly about the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, Van Hollen rounded back on the compensation fund.

“Let me go back to this slush fund because there’s also an individual who, after being pardoned by the president, went on to molest two children. And that person actually tried to buy the silence of these children by saying that he would pay them some of the funds that he was hoping to get from your slush funds,” Van Hollen said.

“Can you commit to making the rule so that that person is not eligible for a payout under this fund?” the senator followed.

Blanche, however, questioned the premise, arguing that the individual could not have been referring to the new fund: “Well, you’re obviously lying in your question, because there’s no way that this person committed to that. The slush fund, as you call it, which it’s not, didn’t exist, but I can commit –”

“Mr. Attorney General, don’t ever do that again,” Van Hollen raged.

“Do what again?” Blanche asked.

The senator continued: “I am reporting what he said. He said on the expectation that he hoped to get some of the funds from a payout. He’s been hearing –”

Blanche cut in: “Now, you said the slush fund, Senator. And that didn’t exist when he said that.”

“This is the fund that the president and all of you have been telegraphing all along that you’re going to use to help the president’s friends,” Van Hollen returned.

“Can you point to a single telegraph I made?” Blanche challenged the senator. “What telegraph did I make?”

“I have a last question for you,” Van Hollen said. “Do you know that it is a criminal offense to lie to Congress?”

“I am very well aware of that,” Blanche replied.

Watch above via CSPAN.

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