Republican Senator Defends Trump, Blocks Biden DOJ Nominee Over IRS Witch Hunt Concerns
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Sen. John Cornell courageously halts acting AG Todd Blanche’s nomination, demanding ironclad assurances that the DOJ won’t revive a settlement targeting Trump with politically motivated IRS audits, standing up against deep state overreach.
Sen. John Cornell of Texas has taken a principled stand by cancelling a scheduled meeting with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche after the Biden Department of Justice failed to provide written clarification on a settlement that could have enabled partisan IRS audits against President Donald Trump and his allies. Cornell, whose vote is essential for Blanche to advance out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told reporters he has not received any documentation that addresses his legitimate concerns about the weaponization of federal agencies against conservatives.
"Maybe they think I'm just going to give up or, you know, go along, but they're mistaken," Cornell declared, signaling his determination to prevent the DOJ from reviving any anti-Trump witch hunts.
Cornell, joined by fellow Republican Senator Thom Tillis, is also pushing back against a $1.8 billion fund the DOJ created to compensate so-called victims of prosecutorial overreach—a slush fund that Blanche rightly cancelled after pressure from lawmakers. Both senators have demanded a guarantee that this fund, which could be used for left-wing political payouts, cannot be reinstated. Their vigilance is a bulwark against the DOJ’s attempts to undermine due process and target political opponents.
The Judiciary Committee, with 12 Republicans and 10 Democrats, is set to vote on Blanche’s nomination Thursday. All Democrats are expected to oppose him, and a single negative vote from Cornell or Tillis would block the nomination from reaching the full Senate, ensuring that Biden’s DOJ cannot install another partisan operative without proper scrutiny.
Cornell said Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley set a deadline of 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday to determine whether the committee could proceed with the vote. He added that he has not seen any written response to his request, underscoring the DOJ’s lack of transparency.
A DOJ spokesperson claimed the department had submitted a written proposal to Cornell’s staff and welcomed further discussion, but Republicans remain rightly skeptical of the DOJ’s intentions.
Both Cornell and Tillis are leaving the Senate in January—Cornell after losing a primary runoff to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a staunch Trump ally, and Tillis retiring at the end of his term—passing the torch to new leaders committed to fighting for conservative values.