After several weeks of contention, Senate confirms Todd Blanche as the new Attorney General, but only by one vote

The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as the next attorney general early Saturday morning in a narrow 50-49 vote. This confirmation comes after several weeks of intense scrutiny and political maneuvering, as the nominee worked to secure enough backing from his own party to lead the Department of Justice.

According to The Hill, Blanche, who previously served as a personal attorney for President Trump, faced a difficult path to confirmation. While he was confirmed along party lines when he was nominated as deputy attorney general in March of last year, his attempt to lead the entire department hit major roadblocks. 

Per the outlet, the primary source of friction for many Republicans was Blanche’s involvement in a $1.776 billion fund described as an anti-weaponization initiative. This fund was expected to direct money toward Trump’s allies and individuals involved in the events of January 6. The initiative was born from an agreement to settle a $10 billion lawsuit brought by Trump against the IRS.

Shaky Support

Although Blanche formally rescinded the fund earlier this week, the controversy persisted. The Hill reported that Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska both voted against his confirmation, citing ongoing concerns about his independence. Both senators expressed skepticism that the fund was truly gone, noting that it could be revived in court. 

Per the outlet, Murkowski also pointed to a memo that granted sweeping immunity to Trump, his adult children, and their business interests regarding past conduct and potential tax audits. She noted, “I am also keenly aware that the Department’s nearly $2-billion dollar slush fund—which likely would have rewarded January 6 protesters—is only off the table because this nomination is pending and the Senate has leverage. Once we vote, that will end, and there is no telling what the future holds.”

The Hill reported that Collins echoed these sentiments. She claimed that while she viewed Blanche as a capable lawyer, “the Department of Justice had become increasingly political.”

Per the report, she highlighted his pledges regarding abortion medication and the immunity granted to the president’s family as key reasons for her opposition. She stated, “Mr. Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the Department’s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation.”

According to The Hill, the confirmation was only possible by the eleventh-hour support of Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. On the Senate floor Friday morning, Cassidy explained that his choice was not between perfection and a candidate he fully supported, but rather between Blanche and an acting attorney general who might not effectively manage the department. 

The Hill noted that Cassidy was critical of the nominee’s past actions. “Mr. Blanche showed poor judgment in approving the anti-weaponization slush fund and exempting the president from IRS audits. No American should be unfairly targeted by the law, but no American should be above the law,” he said.

Previously, a scheduled vote to advance Blanche out of the Senate Judiciary Committee had to be delayed when Senators Cornyn and Tillis demanded he memorialize in writing that the fund was not moving forward. At the time, Trump even considered revoking his nomination to wait out the Senators. 

Even after Blanche complied, questions remain about the sweeping immunity order and investigations into Democratic lawmakers who had suggested military service members could refuse illegal orders. Cassidy noted that the issue was a major concern, but he believed Blanche had agreed to abandon that specific pursuit.

Following the vote, Blanche took to X to note, “I am deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me to lead the Department of Justice as our great nation’s 88th Attorney General. I am grateful to the Senate for staying late to complete this process.” He also expressed gratitude to the DOJ staff for their daily efforts to uphold the law.

The confirmation has drawn sharp reactions from across the aisle. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote that Republicans had handed Trump an excuse for corruption.

Other Democrats, including Senators Cory Booker and Richard Blumenthal, took to X to voice their strong opposition. Booker called it a dark day for democracy, while Blumenthal reiterated his view that Blanche would act as a personal lawyer for the president rather than a representative of the American people.

The internal pushback against Blanche was not limited to lawmakers. A DOJ alumni group known as Justice Connection, representing 1,200 former employees, urged the Senate to reject his nomination. 

Stacey Young, the group’s executive director, criticized Blanche for his tenure as the department’s second-in-command, claiming he shredded institutional norms and attacked the career workforce. The department has seen nearly 20,000 career employees leave or be forced out, which critics argue represents a massive loss of institutional knowledge.