Trump’s former lawyer Todd Blanche confirmed as US attorney general
Todd Blanche, a former personal attorney to US President Donald Trump, has been confirmed as the country’s attorney general after a closely contested Senate vote.
Blanche secured confirmation by 50 votes to 49, with Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski joining Democrats in opposing his nomination. Senator Bill Cassidy provided the crucial Republican vote in Blanche’s favour after saying he believed Blanche was the strongest candidate Trump was likely to nominate.
The vote ended a prolonged dispute between the Trump administration and Senate Republicans over Blanche’s appointment. He had been serving as acting attorney general since April, after Pam Bondi was removed from the position.
All Senate Democrats voted against Blanche’s confirmation.
Several Republican lawmakers had questioned Blanche’s record and raised concerns about his involvement in a number of controversial matters. Among them was his handling of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his role in developing Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund.
The proposed fund was intended to compensate people who claimed they had been politically targeted or persecuted by the government. However, critics, including Murkowski, warned that the scheme could potentially benefit people prosecuted for their involvement in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
During his confirmation process, Blanche promised to abandon the proposed fund following opposition from Republican senators. Questions remain over whether that commitment would prevent the administration from introducing a similar programme under a different structure in the future.
Murkowski said she opposed Blanche because she lacked confidence that he would be willing to challenge what she described as the administration’s worst impulses. She also expressed concern about the increasing politicisation of the Justice Department.
Collins raised separate concerns over Blanche’s involvement in Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. Despite those reservations, she ultimately did not support his confirmation.
Cassidy, meanwhile, said he trusted Blanche to provide Trump with independent and candid legal advice. He acknowledged that the president ultimately determines the direction of the Justice Department but argued that Senate confirmation would give Blanche greater authority to advise the administration and push back when necessary.
Cassidy also said he did not want political disagreements to prevent the Justice Department from carrying out its responsibilities, particularly in combating violent crime.
Blanche’s confirmation marks a significant development for the Trump administration, given his previous role as Trump’s personal lawyer. He was serving as deputy attorney general when he assumed the department’s temporary leadership in April.
