The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche 50-49 to lead the Justice Department after Republican holdouts secured written assurances involving a disputed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund and tax-audit protections for President Donald Trump and his family.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
WASHINGTON — The Senate confirmed acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as the nation’s next attorney general in a 50-49 vote, concluding a nomination fight that remained uncertain until several Republican senators received concessions and written assurances from the Justice Department over a controversial settlement involving President Donald Trump.
Every Democrat who participated in the vote opposed Blanche, along with Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina had also threatened to withhold their support over a proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund and provisions in an Internal Revenue Service settlement that they feared could provide overly broad protection from tax audits for Trump and members of his family. The two senators ultimately backed Blanche after reaching an agreement with him and obtaining documentation addressing their concerns.
Cornyn and Tillis had demanded that the Justice Department provide written confirmation that the $1.8 billion fund had been rescinded and revise the IRS settlement so that any audit protections applied only to the plaintiffs involved in the underlying lawsuit. The DOJ sent Cornyn a written proposal July 27, but he returned it, arguing that the department had not yet satisfied his conditions. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley subsequently scheduled a July 30 markup of Blanche’s nomination but postponed it while negotiations continued. Blanche later released documentation formally confirming that the fund had been rescinded, helping win support from Cornyn and Tillis. The Judiciary Committee then advanced his nomination Tuesday on a 12-10 vote.
Collins and Murkowski remained opposed. Collins said Tuesday that although she considered Blanche a capable attorney, she believed the Justice Department had become increasingly politicized under his leadership. She cited the disputed fund, attempted indictments involving Democratic Sens. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Mark Kelly of Arizona, and Blanche’s promise to prohibit mailing abortion pills among her reasons for opposing him.
“While I believe Mr. Blanche is a capable lawyer, the Department of Justice has become increasingly political. Mr. Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the Department’s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation … More than 1,200 former Department of Justice employees have opposed his nomination, arguing that he has undermined the institution. For these reasons, I will vote against this nomination,” Collins said.
Murkowski likewise said Thursday that she could not support Blanche, pointing to the department’s handling of records involving the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the settlement protections provided to Trump and his family, statements made to anti-abortion organizations and investigations involving political figures.
“Ultimately, however, I will oppose his nomination,” Murkowski said Thursday. “The politicization—even weaponization—of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it. I take issue with the handling of the release of the Epstein files; the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, and their businesses; the statements that have been made to anti-abortion groups; and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. Senators.”
Both Collins and Murkowski previously voted to confirm former Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., emerged as another potentially decisive vote in the final days before confirmation. Cassidy met privately with Blanche Wednesday to discuss his concerns and said during a SiriusXM interview the same day that he worried Blanche could operate as “Trump’s personal attorney who is now the attorney general”. Cassidy ultimately announced on the Senate floor Friday that he would support Blanche, providing a critical vote as the nominee could afford to lose only two Republicans unless Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., returned.
The vote count was also affected by an absence on the Democratic side. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said Thursday that he would miss several votes because of an emergency involving his wife.
Questions surrounding the proposed anti-weaponization fund had followed Blanche since his July 15 confirmation hearing. Cornyn pressed him at the hearing on whether the fund could later be revived. Blanche said it was “dead,” although he acknowledged at the time that there was no written agreement formally terminating it. The lack of documentation became one of the principal sticking points for Cornyn and Tillis until Blanche subsequently produced written confirmation.
Tillis also conditioned his support on Blanche meeting with alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein. Blanche agreed and met with several of the alleged victims at Justice Department headquarters in July, a step that appeared to satisfy Tillis. Some participants later criticized the meeting, describing it as dismissive and unproductive.
Blanche had already been serving as acting attorney general since April 2, when Trump fired former Attorney General Pam Bondi. Friday’s Senate vote now confirms him to lead the Justice Department on a permanent basis after weeks of negotiations with Republican senators whose concerns had threatened to derail his nomination.
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