{"id":21665,"date":"2026-07-16T00:45:03","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T00:45:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/2026\/07\/16\/dick-durbin-accuses-todd-blanche-of-shielding-trumps-crypto-empire\/"},"modified":"2026-07-16T00:45:03","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T00:45:03","slug":"dick-durbin-accuses-todd-blanche-of-shielding-trumps-crypto-empire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/2026\/07\/16\/dick-durbin-accuses-todd-blanche-of-shielding-trumps-crypto-empire\/","title":{"rendered":"Dick Durbin accuses Todd Blanche of shielding Trump&#8217;s crypto empire"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.crypto.news\/2025\/08\/crypto-news-Donald-Trump-opening-a-bank-account-option01.webp\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"is-style-lead\">Senate Democrats have intensified scrutiny of Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche during his confirmation hearing, accusing him of weakening crypto enforcement while President Donald Trump\u2019s digital asset businesses have expanded.<\/p>\n<div id=\"cn-block-summary-block_0083cd9291bea4468dda449054afc252\" class=\"cn-block-summary\">\n<p>\n        <span class=\"tabs__item is-selected\">Summary<\/span>\n    <\/p>\n<div class=\"cn-block-summary__content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Dick Durbin accused Todd Blanche of dismantling DOJ crypto enforcement to benefit Trump\u2019s crypto businesses.<\/li>\n<li>Senate Democrats linked Blanche\u2019s nomination to demands for stricter ethics rules in crypto legislation.<\/li>\n<li>Blanche defended the DOJ\u2019s new approach while saying he would review the Binance pardon process if confirmed.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- .cn-block-summary --><\/p>\n<p>According to proceedings from the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, Senator Dick Durbin used his opening remarks to argue that Blanche helped dismantle the Justice Department\u2019s crypto enforcement efforts while serving as deputy attorney general, saying those decisions benefited Trump\u2019s financial interests in the digital asset sector.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<noscript><\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-embed\" data-video_id=\"763ZT4sVSys\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"LIVE: Todd Blanche testifies at confirmation hearing to be attorney general\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/763ZT4sVSys?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><\/noscript>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Durbin pointed to Blanche\u2019s reported role in <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/crypto\/2025\/04\/08\/doj-ncet-disbands-memo-todd-blanche-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">disbanding<\/a> the Justice Department\u2019s crypto enforcement unit in April 2025. The Illinois senator argued that removing the unit allowed Trump to earn an <a href=\"https:\/\/crypto.news\/trump-defends-1-4-billlion-dollars-crypto-windfall\/\" target=\"_blank\">estimated $1.4 billion<\/a> from crypto-related ventures, including his family\u2019s involvement with World Liberty Financial. Trump has <a href=\"https:\/\/crypto.news\/donald-trump-denies-knowing-about-1-4b-dollar-crypto-windfall\/\" target=\"_blank\">denied wrongdoing<\/a> connected to his digital asset businesses.<\/p>\n<p>Adding to his criticism, Durbin alleged that former Binance CEO Changpeng \u201cCZ\u201d Zhao helped channel a $2 billion investment into World Liberty Financial before later <a href=\"https:\/\/crypto.news\/trump-cz-pardon-binance-controversy\/\" target=\"_blank\">receiving a presidential pardon<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Zhao pleaded guilty in 2023 to a felony charge tied to anti-money laundering violations at Binance. Durbin told lawmakers, \u201cEvery smarmy, suspect deal in this administration has cryptocurrency behind the curtain.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- .cn-block-related-link --><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Democrats tie crypto oversight to ethics concerns<\/h2>\n<p>Beyond Blanche\u2019s nomination, several Senate Democrats have <a href=\"https:\/\/crypto.news\/clarity-act-vote-nears-as-democrats-demand-trump-ethics-rules\/\" target=\"_blank\">continued pressing<\/a> for stricter ethics safeguards in crypto legislation.<\/p>\n<p>Senators Chris Murphy, Jeff Merkley and Chris Van Hollen have said they cannot support the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act unless lawmakers add enforceable conflict-of-interest rules covering senior government officials and their families. Their objections focus on Trump\u2019s crypto ventures, including his memecoin and World Liberty Financial.<\/p>\n<p>Murphy <a href=\"https:\/\/crypto.news\/chris-murphy-brands-clarity-act-trumps-crypto-shield\/\" target=\"_blank\">argued<\/a> Congress should not establish a new regulatory framework for digital assets unless it prevents public officials from profiting from industries they oversee. He said there was \u201cno reason to pass a new regulatory system for crypto if this system does not stop Trump\u2019s corruption.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Merkley has called for ethics restrictions covering the president, vice president, Cabinet officials and members of Congress, while Van Hollen has said the legislation also requires stronger consumer protections and anti-crime provisions before he could support it.<\/p>\n<p>Senator Elizabeth Warren has <a href=\"https:\/\/crypto.news\/warren-demands-trump-crypto-probe-before-clarity-act\/\" target=\"_blank\">advanced similar proposals<\/a> calling for tighter restrictions on crypto profits involving senior government officials.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Blanche defends new DOJ approach to crypto cases<\/h2>\n<p>As the hearing continued, Republican Senator Thom Tillis questioned Blanche about Zhao\u2019s presidential pardon, saying he remained concerned by the decision. Blanche responded that he would review the pardon process if confirmed as attorney general.<\/p>\n<p>Blanche has served as acting U.S. attorney general since Pamela Bondi was dismissed in April. Earlier this year, he issued a Justice Department memorandum ending what he described as \u201cregulation by prosecution\u201d in the crypto industry.<\/p>\n<p>Financial disclosures also showed Blanche previously held at least $159,000 in digital asset-related investments before transferring those holdings to his children and grandchildren.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking at the Bitcoin 2026 conference after becoming acting attorney general, Blanche said federal prosecutors should not target software developers who merely write code without knowingly assisting criminal activity. He stated that developers who are not third-party users of their software and who do not knowingly help others commit crimes would not be investigated or charged.<\/p>\n<p>Even with that policy, the Justice Department continues to pursue several crypto-related prosecutions. Federal prosecutors are expected to retry Tornado Cash co-founder Roman Storm <a href=\"https:\/\/crypto.news\/roman-storm-reacts-prosecutors-push-for-oct-retrial\/\" target=\"_blank\">later this year<\/a> after a jury failed to reach a verdict on two charges during his 2025 trial.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Blanche\u2019s confirmation now depends on the Republican-controlled Senate, where the party holds a narrow 52-47 majority while Senator Mitch McConnell remains hospitalized following a fall that led to pneumonia.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- .cn-block-related-link --><\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/crypto.news\/dick-durbin-accuses-todd-blanche-of-shielding-trump\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Senate Democrats have intensified scrutiny of Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche during his confirmation hearing, accusing him of weakening crypto enforcement while President Donald Trump\u2019s digital asset businesses have expanded. Summary Dick Durbin accused Todd Blanche of dismantling DOJ crypto enforcement to benefit Trump\u2019s crypto businesses. Senate Democrats linked Blanche\u2019s nomination to demands for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":21666,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"kronos_expire_date":[],"class_list":["post-21665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crypto"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21665"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21665\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21665"},{"taxonomy":"kronos_expire_date","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cryptoted.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kronos_expire_date?post=21665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}