Senate confirms Todd Blanche as attorney general by one-vote margin
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The Senate voted 50-49 to confirm Todd Blanche as U.S. attorney general, with two Republican senators joining Democrats in opposition.
The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general in an early Saturday vote, giving him a permanent seat after serving in an acting capacity. The Republican-led chamber approved the nomination by a single vote, 50-49, with Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joining all Democrats in opposition.
Blanche thanked President Donald Trump on social media, saying he was “deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me” and expressed gratitude to senators who worked late to confirm him.
Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, whose vote was decisive, said the nominee could run the department effectively under the administration and noted that Blanche’s background as Trump’s former criminal-defense lawyer might help him push back on presidential demands. "This is not a referendum on President Trump. It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances," Cassidy said.
Democratic Senate Judiciary Committee leader Dick Durbin warned that confirming Blanche would be “a serious mistake” and urged colleagues not to be on the “wrong side” of history.
The confirmation followed a contentious hearing that focused on a settlement related to a lawsuit Trump filed against the Internal Revenue Service. Blanche agreed in writing to abandon a proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund for Trump allies and to rescind a provision that would have shielded the president and his family from IRS tax audits, concessions that helped secure Republican support.
Blanche, a former federal prosecutor who rose to prominence as a lead attorney on Trump’s defense team, has overseen high-profile Justice Department actions, including the release of investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein and investigations into Trump’s political opponents. Critics argue his loyalty to the president could compromise the department’s independence, while supporters cite his prosecutorial experience and efforts on violent crime, immigration and drug trafficking.
The Justice Department has since moved to indict former FBI Director James Comey and appointed former prosecutor Joseph diGenova to lead a probe into alleged conspiracies against Trump, though outcomes of these actions remain uncertain.