Susan Collins opposes Todd Blanche for attorney general
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said Tuesday she will vote against Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general . Why it matters: Collins' vote won't sink Blanche's nomination on its own . But it makes every remaining undecided Republican that much more important. With Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) still absent from the Senate, Blanche, who is serving in an acting capacity, can afford to lose only…
Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, has announced her intention to vote against the nomination of Todd Blanche for attorney general. While her vote alone will not prevent Blanche from receiving confirmation, it adds pressure on other undecided Republican senators. Blanche, who is currently serving as an acting attorney general, can only afford two more Republican votes against him if all Democrats oppose him.
Collins criticized Blanche's actions, stating that they have weakened the Department of Justice's independence. Blanche had previously secured the support of two other Republicans, John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, by agreeing to terminate a proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund and narrow the scope of an IRS settlement's audit protections for Trump.
However, two Republican senators, Bill Cassidy and Lisa Murkowski, have yet to announce their voting intentions. Collins, the chair of the Appropriations Committee, is seeking re-election in a state that Trump lost. She has previously broken with the president on various issues, including his signature legislative package and a spending rescissions package.
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