Senate Judiciary Committee to advance Todd Blanche's attorney general nomination

The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on Tuesday to move forward with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's nomination to lead the Justice Department. The vote follows a late-Sunday agreement with Republican senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, who sought written confirmation that the department would not proceed with a $1.8 billion fund tied to President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.

Blanche issued an order Sunday evening stating that no fund has been created, no members have been appointed, and no claims have been paid. The order also clarified that a tax-audit immunity provision applies only to claims that were open at the time of the settlement and covers only Trump, two of his sons and the Trump Organization.

Democratic lawmakers argue the order does not fully prevent the fund from being revived after Blanche’s confirmation and have urged legislation to permanently block it. They also note that the settlement does not stop the administration from compensating individuals, including some involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, through an existing claims process.

Blanche, a former federal prosecutor who joined the Justice Department as deputy attorney general last year, became acting attorney general after the previous nominee withdrew. His nomination has been examined for potential White House influence and for the department’s handling of high-profile investigations.

The dispute over the IRS settlement, which involved a $10 billion lawsuit filed by Trump, delayed the committee’s vote last week. A federal judge recently criticized the lawsuit as an improper self-dealing action and referred one of Trump’s attorneys for possible disciplinary action.