GOP Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina announced Monday they will support Todd Blanche’s nomination for U.S. attorney general, resolving a high-profile Capitol Hill standoff that had stalled his confirmation process. The endorsement paves the way for the Senate Judiciary Committee to vote Tuesday morning on advancing the nomination to the full Senate floor, removing what had been the principal obstacle to Blanche securing the permanent position. Tuesday’s committee vote will also mark a pivotal step toward sending Blanche’s nomination to the broader Senate for a final confirmation vote.
The impasse dissolved after Blanche, who currently serves as acting attorney general, signed a legally binding order Sunday evening that officially rescinded a controversial $1.8 billion program designated to compensate individuals who claimed improper prosecution. Lawmakers had strongly balked at the proposed mechanism, voicing deep concern over its financial scope and potential application to individuals involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. In the issued directive, Blanche stated “beyond any doubt, that there is no Fund”.
“We are pleased that the Department of Justice has issued a formal order terminating the anti-weaponization fund,” Cornyn and Tillis said in a joint statement. “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. We want to express our gratitude to Mr. Blanche and his staff for working with us on this, and we look forward to voting to advance his nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee soon.”
The resolution also clarified parameters surrounding President Trump’s tax settlement with the Internal Revenue Service, explicitly ensuring that tax audit protections do not extend beyond the designated legal parties or offer indefinite immunity for future tax filings. Although Trump had publicly defended the payout concept over the weekend and suggested he might keep Blanche as acting head without congressional approval, the finalized written order met the demands of the two key Republican holdouts, both of whom had insisted on formal documentation before proceeding.
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