Sen. Murkowski Announces Opposition to Todd Blanche's Attorney General Nomination

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced on Friday that she will oppose Todd Blanche's nomination to serve as attorney general, narrowing the path to confirmation for President Trump's choice. Murkowski said she is worried the administration could move forward with a proposed fund to compensate Jan. 6 rioters, even though Blanche issued an order stating the fund does not exist. She argued that the Senate's leverage over the fund depends on Blanche remaining unconfirmed.

Blanche secured a 12-10 vote from the Senate Judiciary Committee after assuring Republican holdouts he would not pursue the payout fund. Although Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, Sen. Mitch McConnell is absent from sessions, meaning Blanche can lose at most two Republican votes if all Democrats oppose him. Sen. Susan Collins also said she will vote against the nomination, while Sen. Bill Cassidy has not yet disclosed his position.

The committee vote followed a late-Sunday agreement between Blanche and GOP Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, who had threatened to block the confirmation over the settlement of a lawsuit concerning President Trump's leaked tax returns. Cornyn and Tillis supported Blanche after the Justice Department confirmed in writing that it was not proceeding with a $1.8 billion fund for Trump allies who claim they were unfairly investigated.

Blanche issued an order Sunday evening stating “beyond any doubt, that there is no Fund.” Democrats contend the order does not sufficiently prevent the administration from reviving the fund after an acting attorney general is confirmed and have urged legislation to bar it permanently. If Blanche fails to win Senate confirmation, he could remain acting attorney general indefinitely.

"I am against Murkowski. I do more for Alaska than any president in history," President Trump said in an interview, adding that his supporters would be displeased if he backed someone who voted to impeach him.