Republicans clear Todd Blanche for top US Justice Department role
Todd Blanche, former personal lawyer to US President Donald Trump, cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 12-10 party-line vote to become the country's top law enforcement official. The approval followed Republican senators' concerns over Blanche's involvement in a $1.8 billion IRS settlement with Trump, which critics alleged rewarded Trump's allies using taxpayer money.
Todd Blanche has advanced toward confirmation as the United States' chief law enforcement officer after winning approval from the Senate Judiciary Committee. The 12-10 vote, split along party lines, represents the final major procedural hurdle before the full Senate considers his nomination in coming days.
Blanche's path to the committee vote encountered significant obstacles when two Republican senators raised questions about his proximity to President Trump and his role in negotiating a settlement between the president and the Internal Revenue Service. The agreement established a $1.8 billion fund described as an "anti-weaponisation" mechanism, though detractors characterized it as a vehicle for directing taxpayer resources to Trump-aligned individuals while simultaneously restricting certain future IRS audits affecting Trump, his adult sons, and the Trump Organization. A federal judge previously suggested Blanche may have represented conflicting interests during these proceedings.
Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina initially withheld support, demanding stronger assurances that the fund could not be reinstated. Blanche subsequently posted signed documents voiding the arrangement and narrowing the scope of audit protections. Though legal experts questioned the enforceability of these documents, both senators reversed their positions and announced support for the nomination.
Democratic committee members unanimously opposed Blanche's confirmation, arguing that his record demonstrated insufficient independence from Trump. Senator Chris Coons of Delaware emphasized that citizens deserve an impartial Justice Department, while Illinois Senator Dick Durbin characterized Blanche as complicit in what he described as the most corrupt administration in American history. Democrats also expressed alarm at Blanche's apparent willingness to prosecute Trump's political opponents, citing the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey.
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