ToplineActing Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the Trump administration’s actions Wednesday—including its handling of the Epstein files—as he faces his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, as Democratic lawmakers immediately criticized the former Trump attorney for his personal allegiance to the president.Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche gets sworn in at his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill July 15 in Washington, DC.Getty ImagesKey FactsIn his opening statement, Blanche claimed the Trump administration’s Justice Department was restoring the public’s “faith in justice” after purported missteps by the Biden Administration, defending the DOJ’s actions and saying of its work, “None of this is Republican or Democrat.”Blanche also defended the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files and release of the documents, claiming the White House “has been more transparent than any past administration” about releasing the files and that it will prosecute anyone who harmed victims.The acting attorney general also said the DOJ had lawyers on call “24/7” to fix issues with victims’ names not being redacted in the files, saying, “That doesn’t excuse the mistakes, for which I take responsibility,” but the DOJ “tried to fix them.”Under questioning from Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Blanche claimed he was not allowed legally to meet with victims directly, but claimed he would meet with any representatives or anyone else he was legally able to do so.Blanche immediately came under fire from Democrats on Wednesday as the hearing began, with Durbin, the committee’s ranking member, accusing him of “corruption” in the lawmaker’s opening statement.This story is breaking and will be updated.