Senate Committee Advances Todd Blanche for Attorney General

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lines on Tuesday to advance the nomination of Todd Blanche for attorney general. To secure the support of Republican senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, Blanche issued an order on Sunday rescinding a proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund designed to compensate individuals claiming they were targeted by politically driven investigations.

As part of the agreement, the Department of Justice clarified that a tax audit immunity deal for Donald Trump and his family applies only to open claims and does not protect future filings. Democratic committee members unanimously opposed the nomination, arguing that Blanche lacks independence from the White House and is unfit for the role. They specifically pointed to his pursuit of political rivals and his handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related files.

The nomination now moves to a full Senate vote. Committee Chair Chuck Grassley praised the resolution, noting that the rescission of the fund and the clarification of the immunity scope put the issue to bed.