Senate Panel Advances Todd Blanche for Attorney General After GOP Deal
WASHINGTON — Todd Blanche moved one step closer Tuesday to securing Senate confirmation as attorney general after winning over key Republican holdouts who had threatened to sink President Donald Trump's nominee over a controversial Justice Department settlement tied to the president's lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lines to advance Blanche's nomination, clearing the way for a full Senate vote that could come later this week. Blanche, Trump's former personal attorney and the acting attorney general since April, has aggressively pursued the administration's priorities, drawing fierce criticism from Democrats who question whether he can operate independently from the White House.
His nomination appeared in serious jeopardy just days earlier after Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina balked over a Justice Department settlement of Trump's lawsuit involving the leak of his tax returns.
At the center of the dispute was a proposed $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" designed to compensate Trump allies who claim they were politically targeted by the federal government. The proposal sparked backlash from lawmakers in both parties and forced the committee to delay its vote last week.
After days of negotiations, Blanche issued a written order Sunday declaring "beyond any doubt, that there is no Fund," prompting Cornyn and Tillis to reverse course and back his nomination.
The Justice Department also confirmed in writing that another controversial provision of the settlement would not grant Trump blanket immunity from future IRS audits. Instead, the agreement applies only to claims that were already pending when the settlement was reached and covers only Trump, two of his sons and the Trump Organization.
Cornyn said the assurances, combined with what he called the need for stability at the Justice Department, convinced him to support Blanche.
"The Department of Justice does not need a temporary, unconfirmed nominee as our nation's top law enforcement official," Cornyn said. "Trump needs someone in this role, as well, with a strong legal mind."
Democrats argued the concessions fell far short of eliminating their concerns.
Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the committee's top Democrat, warned that the Justice Department could restore the compensation fund almost immediately after Blanche wins confirmation.
"The fund can easily be revived with a new order from the Department of Justice 15 minutes after Mr. Blanche is confirmed as attorney general," Durbin said, calling for legislation to permanently prohibit the program.
Democrats also noted that even without the fund, Trump allies — including some people convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack — could still seek compensation through an existing federal claims process available to people who argue they were wrongfully harmed by the government.
Blanche now heads toward what is expected to be a closely watched Senate confirmation vote. If every Democrat opposes him, he can afford to lose only two Republican senators if Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who remains sidelined after a recent fall, is unable to return for the vote.
Republican Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley praised the agreement that broke the impasse, calling Cornyn and Tillis' demands "common sense."
"I'm grateful that they as well as Mr. Blanche and the White House worked in good faith to solve them," Grassley said, adding that rescinding the proposed fund and clarifying the settlement's scope had "put this issue to bed once and for all."
Blanche's nomination has been shadowed by broader concerns over his close ties to Trump and the Justice Department's direction under his leadership.
Since becoming acting attorney general after replacing Pam Bondi in April, Blanche has accelerated investigations involving several of Trump's political adversaries and advanced a series of White House priorities, fueling accusations from critics that he has blurred the line between the nation's chief law enforcement office and Trump's political agenda.
Among the department's highest-profile actions under Blanche was the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey over a social media post featuring seashells arranged to display the numbers "86 47," which prosecutors alleged constituted a threat against Trump. Comey's attorneys have called the prosecution politically motivated and accused the Justice Department of misleading courts by withholding key evidence and submitting false statements.
Blanche also appointed former Reagan-era Justice Department prosecutor Joseph diGenova to oversee a Florida-based investigation examining whether former intelligence and law enforcement officials conspired over the past decade to undermine Trump.
Trump's lawsuit against the IRS has itself drawn intense legal scrutiny because it challenged an executive branch agency overseen by the president. Last month, a federal judge criticized the case as an improper act of self-dealing and referred one of Trump's attorneys for possible disciplinary action.
Despite the controversy, Blanche emerged from Tuesday's committee vote with momentum, putting him on track for a final Senate showdown that will test whether Republicans remain united behind one of Trump's most loyal legal allies.