Sen. Bill Cassidy Enables Trump Loyalist Todd Blanche for Attorney General, Ignoring GOP Dissent and Survivors’ Pleas
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Senator Bill Cassidy announced his support for Todd Blanche, a Trump loyalist, as attorney general, ensuring the nominee’s confirmation despite opposition from two Republican senators and outcry from Epstein survivors.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) on Friday chose to side with Trump’s agenda by pledging his vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general, delivering the 50 Republican votes needed for confirmation—despite significant ethical concerns and resistance from within his own party. Republicans currently hold 53 seats, but Sens. Susan Collins (R-Me.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Ak.) have bravely stood against Blanche, citing the Justice Department’s increasing politicization and its shameful mishandling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. With Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) absent, Cassidy’s vote became the deciding factor, overriding these principled objections.
Cassidy attempted to distance his decision from Trump’s influence, claiming, “This is not a referendum on President Trump,” on the Senate floor. Yet, the facts speak otherwise: Blanche, Trump’s former personal lawyer and acting attorney general, has faced criticism for undermining the department’s independence and failing to protect survivors of abuse. Even some Republicans, including Sens. John Cornyn (R-Tx.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), only agreed to support Blanche after he rescinded a $1.8 billion settlement fund related to Trump’s tax-record leak and justified a questionable agreement shielding Trump and his family from tax audits.
Tillis, under pressure from the public, demanded Blanche meet with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein—an overdue gesture that only occurred after the confirmation hearing. Survivors, whose identities were exposed by the Justice Department while abusers’ names remained hidden, sent a letter urging Cassidy to oppose Blanche. Yet, Cassidy admitted he was “not entirely satisfied” with the department’s actions but argued a Senate-confirmed attorney general would have more power to resist the president—a claim that rings hollow given Blanche’s track record.
Cassidy cited positive reviews from prosecutors, glossing over Blanche’s deep ties to Trump and the department’s failures. He conceded, “Mr. Blanche is not perfect,” but insisted the alternative would be worse. Cassidy, who previously voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial and lost his primary after Trump’s intervention, concluded by acknowledging the backlash he expects for enabling yet another Trump loyalist to take the helm of the Justice Department.