‘We Are Not Defending What Biden Did’: Blanche Answers Hawley on Abortion Pills

Sen. Josh Hawley questioned attorney general nominee Todd Blanche about why the Justice Department is in court opposite states that are challenging the abortion pill policy of President Joe Biden’s administration.

Louisiana led a lawsuit last year challenging a Biden administration rule allowing abortion drugs to be sent to women by mail without seeing a doctor in-person. However, President Donald Trump’s Justice Department asked a federal court to pause the case against the Food and Drug Administration while the FDA conducts a safety review of the abortion drug mifepristone.

“I hate it that we have these Republican states in court against a Republican administration,” the Missouri Republican senator said Wednesday during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Blanche’s confirmation to be attorney general.

“My state has a number of laws that protect the unborn. We are a very pro-life state in Missouri and that includes laws that limit the use of the chemical abortion drug, the circumstances under which it can be prescribed, and you need to see a physician and so forth under Missouri law,” Hawley said.

“It just seems to me there’s got to be some solution to this,” Hawley told Blanche. “So I just want to ask you, what do you think that is?”

Blanche, currently the acting attorney general, stressed the Justice Department’s actions in court do not constitute a defense of the Biden-era policy.

“I share your concerns as this entire administration, as you know, we have the most pro-life president in history, and you are one of the most pro-life senators in this body,” Blanche told Hawley.

“I don’t want to talk about litigation strategy here, it is not appropriate, but I will say, as we’ve said in our briefing, we are not defending what Biden did, and will not,” Blanche said. “The FDA has a process that we’re letting them go forward in. It takes a year. They’ve committed to do it significantly less time than a year.” The FDA announced in June it had begun a safety review of mifepristone.

Blanche added, “President Trump’s administration, in its entirety, will protect the life of the unborn, and work with states, and obviously you, to make sure that we do that in the best way.”