The U.S. Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general early Saturday morning after weeks of delays, negotiations and controversy.
“I am deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me to lead the Department of Justice as our great nation’s 88th Attorney General,” Blanche wrote on X. “I am grateful to the Senate for staying late to complete this process.”
It was largely a party-line vote, 50-49: all Senate Democrats voted against Blanche’s confirmation. Two Republicans, Susan Collins of Maine and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, joined Democrats in opposing the nomination as well.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., cast the deciding vote after announcing his support at the last minute. His decision came after Murkowski announced her opposition, citing what she called the “weaponization” of the Justice Department and concerns over a proposed “slush fund.”
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The full Senate vote followed weeks of delays, including a prolonged fight before the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Blanche’s nomination earlier this week.
Republican Sens. Thom Tillis and John Cornyn initially threatened to block Blanche’s nomination.
They sought stronger assurances that a proposed settlement in Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS would not shield him or his family from future tax audits.
They also demanded a formal commitment that President Donald Trump’s proposed “Anti-Weaponization Fund” would not move forward.
Blanche later announced an agreement with committee Republicans, including Tillis and Cornyn, that formally rescinded the proposed fund.
With that, Tillis and Cornyn announced they’d support Blanche’s nomination.
DOJ’s independence
Much of the opposition centered on whether Blanche could operate independently of the White House.
When announcing she wouldn’t back Blanche, Collins said, “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.”
Murkowski made similar statements, saying, “The politicization — even weaponization — of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it.”
Before the vote, Cassidy also questioned whether Blanche could remain independent of the president.
“I have to make sure that he is the attorney general who used to be the president’s personal attorney, not the personal attorney who’s also the attorney general,” Cassidy said.
Blanche also drew criticism from Murkowski and Collins for statements he made to religious groups, saying he is working to restrict access to abortions nationwide.
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