Todd Blanche Nears Attorney General Confirmation After Sen. Cassidy Backs Nomination/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy announced that he will support Todd Blanche for attorney general, likely securing enough votes for Senate confirmation. Cassidy acknowledged concerns about a proposed $1.8 billion fund for Trump allies, tax audit protections and investigations of the president’s opponents. Blanche’s supporters say his legal experience and relationship with Trump could help him resist unlawful demands, while critics question his independence.
Quick Look
- Sen. Bill Cassidy said he will vote to confirm Todd Blanche.
- Cassidy’s support likely clears Blanche’s path through the Senate.
- Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins oppose the nomination.
- Blanche has served as acting attorney general since April.
- Trump selected him after firing Pam Bondi.
- Blanche previously served as Trump’s criminal defense attorney.
- Cassidy described Blanche as imperfect but potentially effective.
- Concerns center on a proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund.
- Blanche formally rescinded the “Anti-Weaponization Fund.”
- He issued an order stating that “there is no Fund.”
- The Justice Department narrowed tax audit protections for Trump and his family.
- The agreement does not cover Trump’s future tax filings.
- Democrats warn that the administration could revive the fund later.
- A federal judge called Trump’s IRS lawsuit improper self-dealing.
- The IRS employees’ union is trying to block the immunity agreement.
- Democrats accuse Blanche of prioritizing loyalty to Trump.
- Republicans cite his record on crime, immigration, cartels and drug trafficking.
Deep Look
Cassidy Backs Blanche for Attorney General
WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana announced Friday that he will support Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general.
The decision likely gives Blanche enough votes to win Senate confirmation and formally take control of President Donald Trump’s Justice Department.
Cassidy announced his position in a Senate floor speech after opposition from two other Republicans placed Blanche’s confirmation in doubt.
Murkowski and Collins Oppose Nomination
Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine said they would vote against Blanche.
Their opposition increased pressure on Cassidy and other undecided Republicans.
With Democrats expected to oppose the nomination, Blanche could afford to lose only a limited number of Republican votes.
Cassidy Calls Blanche Imperfect
Cassidy said he continued to have serious concerns about Blanche’s conduct and the Justice Department’s actions.
He pointed to a proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund for Trump allies, tax audit protections for Trump and his family, and investigations directed at the president’s political opponents.
Cassidy said Blanche “is not perfect.”
However, the senator concluded that another nominee might not be better able to run the Justice Department under Trump.
Former Trump Lawyer Could Push Back
Cassidy argued that Blanche’s history as Trump’s criminal defense attorney could make him more effective at resisting improper demands.
Because Trump trusts Blanche, Cassidy suggested, the nominee may be able to explain legal restrictions to the president more successfully than another attorney general.
“This is not a referendum on President Trump. It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances,” Cassidy said.
Cassidy Anticipates Political Criticism
Cassidy lost his Republican primary after Trump endorsed his opponent.
During his floor speech, the senator appeared emotional while discussing the criticism he expected to receive for supporting Blanche.
He added: “What’s new?”
His decision showed Trump’s continued influence over Republican politics even after the president helped defeat him in the primary.
Blanche Would Be Trump’s Second Confirmed Attorney General
Blanche would become the second Senate-confirmed attorney general of Trump’s current term.
He has served as acting attorney general since April, when Trump dismissed Pam Bondi.
Trump returned to office saying he wanted the Justice Department to investigate people he viewed as political enemies.
Trump Fired Bondi in April
Bondi was removed after Trump became dissatisfied with the department’s failure to secure criminal cases against his opponents.
Blanche, who previously represented Trump in criminal proceedings, was elevated to acting attorney general.
His nomination raised immediate questions about whether he could maintain the Justice Department’s traditional independence from the White House.
IRS Settlement Complicates Confirmation
The most serious obstacle to Blanche’s confirmation emerged from a settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.
The agreement created a proposed $1.8 billion fund for people who believe the criminal justice system treated them unfairly.
It also included protections shielding Trump and members of his family from certain tax audits.
Republicans and Democrats both raised questions about the settlement’s legality and scope.
Murkowski Raises Epstein and IRS Concerns
Murkowski cited the Justice Department’s handling of records involving Jeffrey Epstein as one reason for opposing Blanche.
She also criticized the tax audit agreement and proposed “Anti-Weaponization Fund.”
Murkowski said she did not trust the administration’s assurances that the fund had been abandoned.
She noted that the Senate’s leverage over the issue could disappear after Blanche is confirmed.
Murkowski Questions Blanche’s Independence
Murkowski cited several issues when announcing her opposition.
She expressed concern about the Justice Department’s handling of records connected to Jeffrey Epstein, the broad tax audit agreement and the proposed “Anti-Weaponization Fund.”
Murkowski said the administration could revive the fund despite promises that it had been abandoned.
She noted that the Senate had leverage over the proposal only while Blanche’s confirmation remained pending.
Murkowski Calls for Independent Attorney General
“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” Murkowski said. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”
Her opposition reflects broader concerns that Blanche’s previous role as Trump’s lawyer could interfere with his obligation to enforce the law independently.
Judiciary Committee Deal Advances Nomination
The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Blanche only after negotiations with Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
Both senators had threatened to block his confirmation because of the IRS settlement.
A deal reached last weekend persuaded them to support moving the nomination to the full Senate.
Blanche Formally Rescinds Fund
Under the agreement with Cornyn and Tillis, Blanche formally withdrew the proposed compensation program.
He issued an order declaring that “there is no Fund.”
The action was intended to reassure Republican senators that the Justice Department would not distribute $1.8 billion to Trump allies who claimed they had been politically prosecuted.
DOJ Narrows Tax Audit Protections
The Justice Department also issued written clarification of the tax audit agreement.
Officials said the protection applies only to claims that were open when the settlement was reached.
The agreement does not prevent authorities from examining Trump’s future tax filings.
It applies only to the parties that filed the lawsuit: Trump, two of his sons and the Trump Organization.
Democrats Say Fund Could Return
Democrats argue that Blanche’s order does not permanently eliminate the proposed fund.
They say the Justice Department could create it again immediately after the Senate confirms him.
Democratic lawmakers have called for legislation that would permanently prohibit the program.
Trump has repeatedly defended the fund and threatened to pursue it if Republicans refused to confirm Blanche.
Tax Agreement Faces Legal Questions
Lawmakers and legal specialists have also questioned whether the Justice Department had authority to provide the tax protections.
A federal judge who handled Trump’s lawsuit described it as an improper exercise in self-dealing.
The president sued an agency within the executive branch that he controls, creating concerns about conflicts of interest and the legitimacy of the settlement.
IRS Union Seeks to Block Immunity Deal
The union representing IRS employees asked a federal judge Thursday to block the tax audit agreement.
The legal challenge could determine whether the protections provided to Trump and the other plaintiffs remain enforceable.
It adds another layer of uncertainty to a settlement already central to Blanche’s confirmation battle.
Democrats Cite Investigations of Trump Opponents
Democrats accuse Blanche of placing loyalty to Trump above his responsibility to the Justice Department.
They point to investigations targeting the president’s adversaries, including former FBI Director James Comey.
Critics also say Blanche helped transform an agency that historically emphasized independence from the White House.
DOJ Loses Thousands of Workers
Thousands of Justice Department employees have left under Bondi and Blanche.
The departures have occurred through firings, resignations and voluntary separation programs.
Critics say the staff losses have reduced institutional experience and damaged morale across the department.
Republicans Defend Blanche’s Record
Blanche’s supporters emphasize his previous experience as a federal prosecutor.
They argue that the trust he built with Trump during courtroom battles gives him greater influence with the president than Bondi had.
Supporters say Blanche can use that relationship to explain when White House demands conflict with federal law.
GOP Praises Crime and Immigration Work
Republicans have also highlighted Blanche’s efforts to reduce violent crime, enforce immigration laws and target violent cartels.
They credit him with expanding investigations into drug trafficking and organized criminal networks.
Those priorities align closely with Trump’s second-term law enforcement agenda.
Durbin Calls Confirmation a Mistake
Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois, the leading Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, urged senators to reject Blanche.
He described confirmation as a “serious mistake” and asked colleagues not to place themselves on the “wrong side” of history.
“If there is ever a moment in history when we need an attorney general above reproach, who is clearly dedicated to ending corruption, even at the highest level of our government, it’s right now,” Durbin said.
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