The Senate Judiciary Committee moved forward with the nomination of Todd Blanche for attorney general on Tuesday, clearing a significant procedural hurdle for President Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Justice. The committee voted 12-10 along party lines to advance the nomination to the full Senate.
The confirmation process had faced resistance from Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Their opposition centered on a $1.8 billion fund intended to compensate individuals for alleged government “weaponization,” as well as concerns regarding a sweeping immunity deal granted to the president concerning tax audits.
Following weeks of intense negotiations, Blanche issued a formal order late Sunday that rescinded his initial directive establishing the “anti-weaponization” fund. Furthermore, he clarified that the immunity provision regarding tax audits is restricted to potential reviews of past years’ returns and applies exclusively to President Trump, his two eldest sons, and the Trump Organization.
This new order does not alter the underlying terms of the settlement agreement reached between the president and the IRS in May, which resolved a civil lawsuit regarding the disclosure of his tax returns by a former government contractor. Despite the committee’s progress, the president had previously expressed support for the fund and warned on Saturday that he might attempt to revive it if the senators blocked Blanche.
Senators Cornyn and Tillis issued a joint statement on Monday expressing satisfaction with the formal rescission of the fund. They noted that the Justice Department’s clarification regarding the limitations of the tax immunity agreement successfully addressed the concerns raised by several of their Republican colleagues.
“We want to express our gratitude to Mr. Blanche and his staff for working with us on this, and we look forward to voting to advance his nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee soon,” the senators stated. During the committee hearing, both lawmakers defended the conditions they required for their support, emphasizing the need for a stable leader at the Justice Department.
Senator Cornyn remarked that he expects the department to adhere to these agreements in future litigation. He added that his decision to support the nomination extends beyond the specific documentation provided, noting that the nation requires a steady hand at the helm of its top law enforcement agency rather than a temporary, unconfirmed official.
Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, praised the efforts of Cornyn and Tillis in securing these commitments from the executive branch. He described the requests as common sense and criticized the time it took to obtain clarity on the tax deal’s parameters. Grassley further noted that the department has functioned effectively under Blanche’s temporary leadership, stating that his vote was cast in the interest of public safety.
Conversely, Senator Dick Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the committee, voiced strong opposition. He argued that Blanche is unfit to lead the Justice Department, accusing him of attempting to restructure the agency by dismissing career officials and replacing them with loyalists who would facilitate the president’s agenda. Durbin questioned the credibility of Blanche’s promises, even those made under oath.
Durbin further contended that the new orders regarding the IRS settlement are legally unenforceable because they lack signatures from the involved parties, including the president’s sons and the Trump Organization. He warned that the president could still seek to enforce the original terms and that the “anti-weaponization” fund could be reinstated following confirmation.
“To my Republican colleagues, you gave Mr. Blanche the benefit of the doubt when you supported his nomination to be deputy attorney general,” Durbin said. “Seventeen months later, there is no doubt where his loyalty will lie.”
Blanche has served as acting attorney general since April, following the departure of Pam Bondi. President Trump formally nominated him for the permanent position in June. As a former personal defense attorney for the president, Blanche has faced scrutiny throughout the confirmation process regarding the department’s handling of various high-profile matters.
These include the release of documents related to the federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, a meeting held last year with Epstein’s former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and the settlement regarding the president’s civil lawsuit against the IRS. While Blanche previously indicated the department would not proceed with the “anti-weaponization” program, the formal rescission on Sunday was a critical step in securing the necessary committee votes.
That deal included the creation of the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund that would provide payments to people who claimed they were targeted by the federal government for political reasons.
Blanche had said before that the Justice Department is not moving forward with the “anti-weaponization” program, but until Sunday, he declined to confirm in writing that it was dead, raising questions as to whether it co
When pressed by senators during his confirmation hearing about the status of the fund, Blanche said it’s “dead” and “doesn’t exist anymore.” But in written responses to senators, he declined to provide information about
Blanche deserves the opportunity to provide that.”
A simple majority is needed to confirm him to the post.
“His word is not enough for most, not even for some of my Republican friends.
The Justice Department also had agreed to grant Mr.
Blanche had said before that the Justice Department is not moving forward with the “anti-weaponization” program, but until Sunday, he declined to confirm in writing that it was dead, raising questions as to whether it could be revived in a different form.
When pressed by senators during his confirmation hearing about the status of the fund, Blanche said it’s “dead” and “doesn’t exist anymore.” But in written responses to senators, he declined to provide information about discussions within the Justice Department about the program.
With Republicans controlling 12 of the 22 seats on the Judiciary Committee, Cornyn and Tillis were key votes for Blanche to secure.
But the group continued to urge Cornyn and Tillis to vote against Blanche’s nomination, saying in a letter to the senators that during their meeting with the acting attorney general, he “showed no remorse for the horrific release of materials that exposed survivors’ identities and images.” They also said he “gave no indication that he believed there were investigative leads worth pursuing, or that he intended to seek
Blanche was serving as deputy attorney general when the Justice Department released more than 3 million pages of documents from its investigations into Epstein and Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex-trafficking crimes.
But some of the records contained survivors’ unredacted names and personal information.
Blanche acknowledged “mistakes” were made by the Justice Department in its failure to shield survivors’ information and said the administration worked to rectify them, including by swiftly taking documents down.
Blanche also conducted a two-day interview with Maxwell last year, during which he asked Maxwell about her relationship with Epstein and other powerful people in his orbit.
Shortly after their meeting, Maxwell was moved from a low-security federal correctional facility in Tallahassee, Florida, to a minimum-security prison camp in Bryan, Texas.
