Senate Judiciary Committee postpones vote on Todd Blanche's attorney general nomination
The Senate Judiciary Committee delayed its vote on Todd Blanche's nomination after two Republican senators sought written assurances regarding a settlement tied to President Trump's IRS lawsuit.
Washington — The Senate Judiciary Committee announced Wednesday that it would postpone the vote on Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general, citing ongoing negotiations with Republican senators John Cornell and Thom Tillis. The delay follows the senators' request for written confirmation that the proposed "Anti-Weaponization Fund" tied to the settlement of President Donald Trump's $10 billion IRS lawsuit is no longer being pursued, and for clarification on the scope of the tax-audit immunity provision.
The committee said the vote was deferred "as work continues to secure sufficient support." Justice Department officials sent revised language to the senators on Wednesday evening in an effort to address their concerns.
"The ball is in Blanche's court," Senator Cornell said, accusing the department of stonewalling.
"We’ve been trying to help them get to a conclusion here and they won’t let us. It’s befuddling to me," Cornell told reporters.
Blanche declined to answer reporters' questions as he left Capitol Hill after meeting with senators. The Justice Department expressed that it looks "forward to continuing to work productively with Senators to address any concerns."
President Trump described Blanche as "outstanding" and suggested that Senator Cornell's objections might be personal, noting, "Maybe John Cornell's upset with me because I didn’t endorse him."
The settlement, which included a provision dropping tax claims against the president and a now-scrapped plan for a $1.776 billion fund to compensate alleged victims of Justice Department actions, has faced scrutiny in Congress and the courts. A judge overseeing the case criticized the settlement and questioned Blanche's involvement, a point he has publicly disputed.