U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered an opening statement during a committee hearing on the nomination of Colin McDonald as Assistant Attorney General for the newly created National Fraud Enforcement Division at the Department of Justice. The hearing took place in Washington, D.C., where the committee reviews legislation, oversees federal law enforcement, and evaluates judicial nominations as part of its constitutional responsibilities (https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/).
Durbin and Senator Chris Van Hollen recently questioned Attorney General Pam Bondi about how the new division would operate, including its staffing and enforcement priorities. They also sought clarification regarding Vice President Vance’s comments that suggested the division could be “run out of the White House,” raising concerns about prosecutorial independence.
In his remarks, Durbin discussed whistleblower information related to FBI Director Kash Patel’s alleged misuse of FBI aircraft for personal travel. According to Durbin, these actions delayed high-profile investigations such as those into incidents at Brown University and involving Charlie Kirk.
Durbin stated: “Over the last year, the Trump Administration has systematically dismantled Justice Department offices responsible for rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs. It has done the same with components that police fraud against consumers and investors.”
He continued: “Last April, Attorney General Bondi disbanded the team responsible for prosecuting cryptocurrency crimes. Last September, she dissolved the Consumer Protection Branch in the Department of Justice, which enforced federal laws prohibiting fraud against consumers.”
Durbin added: “The Administration also did away with the Justice Department’s Tax Division, which was established a century ago by Robert Jackson and led efforts to prosecute tax fraud. And the Attorney General has gutted the Public Integrity Section, [which is] responsible for enforcing laws against public corruption.”
“None of this comes as a surprise. Because the worst examples of waste, fraud, and abuse in recent years are coming from inside the Trump Administration. Want to root out fraud? Start at the top… Fraudsters who have made huge contributions to the President have regularly been rewarded with pardons,” he said.
He cited a specific case: “In April 2024, the founder of Binance was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay a $50 million fine for his role in a money laundering scheme. He then brokered a deal to channel $2 billion into the Trump family’s crypto business. President Trump pardoned him. Just this week, we learned that Binance accounts have funneled about $1.7 billion to Iranian entities with links to terrorist groups. But the Trump family’s crypto company, World Liberty Financial, continues to partner with Binance.”
Durbin further criticized administration officials: “Trump appointees have contributed to the waste, fraud, and abuse by misusing government resources and taxpayer dollars for their own benefit.”
On FBI Director Patel specifically: “FBI Director Kash Patel has shamelessly exploited the FBI’s private government jet to support his jet-setting lifestyle, including for a golf getaway in Scotland and to watch his girlfriend perform at a wrestling match.” He added: “Most recently, he flew to Italy to chug beers with the U.S. Olympic hockey team. As a whistleblower told the Committee, the tone was set early in Director Patel’s tenure when he told FBI agents ‘If you have golf, hockey, fishing or hunting and beautiful sights you’re going to see a lot of me.’”
Regarding questions about how DOJ will staff or structure its new division: “There are many unanswered questions about so-called National Fraud Enforcement Division… Justice Department officials cannot agree whether Division will absorb staff and resources from existing Civil and Criminal Division fraud offices or whether it will hire new staff.”
“We should not move ahead with this nominee when such questions [are] unanswered,” Durbin concluded.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is composed of senators from both major political parties who oversee hearings like this one (https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/). The committee plays an important role in shaping national policy on civil rights and public safety through legislative oversight (https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/).
Video footage of Durbin's statement is available online.
