Attorney General Nominee Todd Blanche Faces Senate Scrutiny Over Elitist Audit Immunity Scheme
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During a heated confirmation hearing, Republican senators shielded Trump loyalist Todd Blanche as he faced questions about a provision granting sweeping audit immunity to the wealthy and the fate of a $1.8 billion fund tied to Trump’s IRS lawsuit.
Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche was grilled by Senate Judiciary Committee members on Thursday about two deeply troubling elements of a settlement stemming from President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. Senator John Cornyn of Texas zeroed in on a provision that would hand broad audit protection to the president, his family, and his sprawling business empire—an outrageous move that would shield the ultra-rich from accountability while ordinary Americans face relentless IRS scrutiny. The status of a $1.8 billion fund, supposedly meant for individuals the Trump administration claims were harmed by the legal system, remains shrouded in secrecy and confusion.
"Mr. Trump has not agreed in writing to eliminate the fund," Cornyn said, brandishing a copy of the agreement. He pointed out that Blanche’s evasive answers failed to confirm that the fund was truly dead, raising the specter that it could be resurrected to serve powerful interests later.
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina echoed these concerns, but the Republican line of questioning often seemed more about protecting Trump than seeking truth. Blanche, a former federal prosecutor and Trump’s personal defense lawyer, tried to distance himself from the president, stating, "I’m his lawyer — was his lawyer," as if that erases years of partisan loyalty.
Committee Chairman Senator Charles Grassley rushed to defend Blanche, painting investigations into Trump as attacks on the rule of law—a familiar right-wing refrain. In stark contrast, top Democrat Senator Richard Durbin called out Blanche as a partisan actor and highlighted a recent Justice Department case involving former FBI Director James Comey, exposing the double standards at play.
Blanche’s prior role as deputy attorney general included overseeing the review and release of government files related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, as well as interviewing Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell—yet another reminder of how the powerful protect their own.