Acting AG Todd Blanche Faces Senate Backlash Over Dismantling DoJ Crypto Unit on Wednesday

Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche faced backlash at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday over the Justice Department's enforcement of crypto-related crimes. Ranking Democrat Senator Dick Durbin criticized Blanche for "dismantling DoJ's enforcement team and shutting down ongoing criminal investigations of the crypto industry," pointing to Blanche's role in disbanding the department's dedicated crypto enforcement unit in April 2025 as deputy attorney general.

Durbin alleged that Blanche's actions enabled President Trump to earn $1.4 billion from ties to the crypto industry, including his family's World Liberty Financial venture, and accused former Binance CEO Changpeng "CZ" Zhao of "broker[ing] a deal to channel $2 billion" into the project in exchange for a presidential pardon. Blanche has signaled a shift in DoJ policy, stating he would not pursue cases against blockchain developers uninvolved in illegal activity.