The Senate voted to confirm Todd Blanche as U.S. attorney general, elevating the Justice Department's No. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. "Todd Blanche claims he was Donald Trump's personal attorney but is continuing to act as if he's still Donald Trump's personal attorney," Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California, told NPR's Steve Inskeep. After Trump returned to the White House last year, he nominated Blanche as deputy attorney general. The Justice Department has defended its track record in court and accused judges of overstepping their authority.