WASHINGTON, D.C. – Two Republican Senators who hesitated at supporting Todd Blanche’s nomination as Attorney General over a Trump IRS deal, are now reversing course. The pair said they’re supporting Blanche after he issued a formal order terminating the $1.8-billion dollar “anti-weaponization fund” and put more strict provisions on a provision that would’ve protected the President and his family from tax investigations. However, critics argue that the latter is still in place.
After Blanche posted two documents on social media Sunday night, it seems to have been enough to win over two Senators on the Judiciary committee to move forward with Blanche’s nomination. Senators John Cornyn (R- TX) and Thom Tillis (R- NC) released a joint statement Monday morning. They said in part: “We are pleased that the Department of Justice has issued a formal order terminating the anti-weaponization fund. Additionally, the Department has acknowledged in a binding written order that the audit settlement is limited to the plaintiffs and the scope does not extend beyond the defendants in the lawsuit, the IRS and the Treasury, addressing concerns that multiple of our Republican colleagues share.”
This comes days after Blanche’s confirmation hearing in the Senate Judiciary committee was postponed after the two Senators hesitated on supporting him over those two items.
When the President was asked if he signed off on Blanche’s response, this is what he said today:
“I didn’t look at it,” Trump responded. “All I know is that Todd Blanche is, is great. He’s going to do a great job. Everybody knows it, and I understand there’s been a sign off, but I didn’t, I don’t know what they agreed. I think Todd Blanche agreed to reconfirm things that he’s already said, and what he said was OK.”
Blanche is set to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday morning. We now expect them to have enough votes to advance his nomination to the full Senate floor.
