'Who Won The 2020 Election?': Richard Blumenthal Grills Trump Judicial Nominees

[0:00] you, Mr. Chairman. Let's see if we can get maybe some original answers. Mr. Akson, who won the 2020 [0:08] election? Senator Blumenthal, Joe Biden was certified as the winner of the 2020 election. [0:14] Go right down the panel. If you are going to answer the same way, just say ditto. [0:21] I would agree with that answer, Senator. Ditto, Senator. Yes, sir. Ditto. And was the Capitol [0:30] attacked on January 6th, 2021? Senator, there were acts of violence, lawlessness, trespass, [0:38] and destruction of property that day. But you're not willing to say the Capitol was attacked? [0:44] Senator, again, I condemn the acts of violence, lawlessness, trespass, and destruction of property [0:50] that day. Mr. Akson, ditto. Senator, I would just add that whether the events of that day are [0:58] characterized as an attack could have legal ramifications. So that's a ditto, correct? [1:02] Senator, I've condemned the acts of violence on that day. [1:09] Mr. Kelly. Ditto, Senator. Ditto. Mr. Dr. Klein. Yes, sir. Ditto. Yes, sir. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto, [1:19] ditto, ditto, ditto. That's where we are on the United States District Court. Dr. Klein. Do you agree [1:34] with President Trump that human trafficking is a quote unquote scourge? Senator, I have had human [1:43] trafficking victims on my caseload over my career. So I'm very much in favor of whatever [1:50] we can do to eradicate human trafficking. And do you agree with President Trump that it [1:57] is a scourge? That's the word he used. Do you agree or not? I'm unsure, to be honest. [2:06] You're unsure whether it's a scourge? Well, let me ask you this. I'm not scourge what the parameters [2:10] of the word scourge sort of is. What I'm going to say is- Is it a bad thing? Is it an evil? [2:16] Senator, yes, sir. Okay. So let me ask you, you must be aware that the Trump administration [2:28] has allowed about $190 million in anti-human trafficking grants to lapse. And it has withheld [2:38] about 75 percent of money appropriated by the United States Congress for groups that aid victims of human [2:48] trafficking. It's about $130 million that should be going to support human trafficking survivors [2:55] and strengthen law enforcement's ability to fight trafficking crime, which President Trump has [3:02] called a quote unquote scourge. And you agree that it's a bad thing? Well, Senator, if I'm confirmed, [3:10] I'm going to follow all federal laws regarding grant implementation. So I very much take serious [3:17] the victims of- Well, let me ask the question, if you don't mind, before you provide an answer. [3:24] Oh, I'm sorry. The question is, will you commit, if confirmed, to release all of the anti-trafficking [3:34] funds currently withheld by the Trump administration? Yes or no? Senator, I'm sorry, [3:40] I didn't mean to interrupt you a second ago. I am going to work diligently to get these resources [3:45] from the Office of Justice- Is that a yes? You will release the money. I'm going to be committed [3:50] to addressing and getting the funds to those Americans who need them the most. Yes, sir. [3:57] You know, you'll work diligently. So the answer is yes. Would you agree with me? Yes? [4:04] Yes. I'm going to work and do and follow all the stipulation and guidelines to get our taxpayer dollars, [4:09] be a good shepherd of the taxpayer dollars, to get those resources, human trafficking victims and [4:14] other victims of crime, to ensure that Americans stay safe. I'm going to take that as a yes, [4:23] that you will release the money. I'm going to hold you to it. I think our United States Congress [4:27] should hold you to it because human trafficking is a scourge and the victims deserve all of the money [4:34] and more that Congress has appropriate for this purpose. You know, in your answers to Senator Kennedy [4:43] talking about homelessness, you mentioned the criminal process. Do you think that homeless people [4:50] should be arrested? No, sir. But I do believe that we as an institution, local authorities could be a [4:58] benefit in helping and assisting individuals out of their plight and suffering. I'm not saying they need [5:04] to be arrested, but I do believe that we do, as human to human, do better at providing intervention [5:13] to get them from point A, suffering in the street, to point B, in treatment, into self-sufficiency. [5:18] So just to clarify, you would not favor arresting or prosecuting people? [5:24] I wouldn't favor. I don't favor that, but I do believe we could marshal resources in a fashion [5:31] that will help people get the services that they need. So you might not favor it, [5:35] but local authorities should be permitted to arrest homeless people? I feel like I wasn't even [5:42] referring to arrest. What I'm trying to say is, if you have resources in the community, we should use [5:47] them to help Americans. And allowing somebody to suffer in blight isn't something that I favor. [5:55] Non-criminal resources? Well, non-criminal resources. [6:01] And I don't even mean, I'm a person in long-term recovery, too. So I've been around. I've been [6:07] in my own addiction. I've been out there. So I know exactly sort of what I'm saying. But [6:13] I wouldn't want to remove resources from individuals who are in need. If they're suffering in the street, [6:19] I would like to help them. So if they're suffering in the street, maybe they should be in jail? That's a good [6:23] place for them to be? No, sir. Okay. I just want to clarify in fairness to you. [6:30] Okay. So what I'm saying is that there's suffering in this street. [6:36] Should we just let them be there? And what I'm looking at is, who would actually be the [6:41] resources? First responders on some level could be there as well. So in what I'm trying to say is, [6:47] I believe these individuals need services and they need Americans to human to human to actually [6:57] assist them getting from point A, the suffering in the street. [6:59] I'm out of time, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. [7:02] Before I call on Senator Blackburn, she's going to close the meeting down. I want to thank you [7:08] folks and compliment you. The last advice I give, you heard me give to the