Blanche's Attorney General Nomination Advances Amidst 'Anti-Weaponization' Fund Controversy
Senate Judiciary Committee approves nominee after concessions on $1.8 billion fund and Trump tax audit settlement.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Carla Rooney
Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general advanced along party lines.
Their 'yes' votes hinged on a written agreement from the DOJ to limit Donald Trump's sweeping tax audit settlement and to terminate a controversial 'anti-weaponization' fund.
Blanche subsequently posted a signed order rescinding the 'Anti-Weaponization Fund', which intended to allocate $1.8 billion to victims of 'lawfare' under previous administrations.
Critics labelled the 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' a 'slush fund' for allies; Senator Dick Durbin claimed it could theoretically be revived '15 minutes' after Blanche's confirmation vote.
Experts also claim Trump could easily reverse the deal regarding the slush fund, raising further doubts about the permanence of the concession.
Blanche also vowed to use the DoJ to crack down on blue states employing shield laws to permit mail-order abortion drugs to cross state lines.
His nomination is now expected to pass the full Senate by a narrow margin. Whether this will occur before the Senate leaves for the August recess at the end of the week remains uncertain.
Democrats and some political analysts remain highly sceptical that the agreement is ironclad and would prevent the administration from establishing the fund through another order.
Lawmakers in the Senate reportedly hinge their hopes on the notion that Trump and his allies will not be able to fund their plans to reward allies without Congress passing money for it.
Donald Trump claimed that if Blanche’s confirmation stalled, he would keep him on in an acting capacity and push lawmakers to create the fund through legislation instead.