Dems blast Blanche as enabler of 'Trump’s corruption' after AG confirmation

The US Senate has confirmed Todd Blanche as Attorney General with a 50-49 vote, with all Democrats voting against his nomination. According to The Guardian US, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer condemned the move, stating that Blanche's confirmation would enable President Trump's "pervasive, breathtaking corruption". Schumer argued that having the president's personal attorney as attorney general would undermine efforts to wipe out corruption.

Blanche, a former federal prosecutor and Trump's personal defense lawyer, had been serving as acting attorney general since April. The Hill reported that Democrats cited Blanche's record as deputy and acting attorney general over the past year as a reason for their opposition. PBS NewsHour noted that this confirmation makes Blanche the second confirmed attorney general since Trump returned to the White House.

DW News reported that Louisiana Republican Bill Cassidy provided the crucial deciding vote, after initially expressing concerns. According to DW News, Cassidy later stated that he believed Blanche's relationship with Trump would make him effective at pushing back against Trump's demands. Blanche expressed his gratitude to Trump for the appointment, stating he was "deeply honored" to lead the Department of Justice.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Hill, The Guardian US, PBS NewsHour, DW News — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.