Todd Blanche, Trump’s ex-lawyer, confirmed as US attorney general

Former personal lawyer of President Donald Trump, Todd Blanche, has been officially named as the new US Attorney General, marking the highest-ranking law enforcement role in the nation. Blanche secured confirmation with a narrow margin of 50-49 votes, with the crucial deciding vote cast by Republican Senator Bill Cassidy. Cassidy's decisive move came after he believed Blanche to be the best choice presented by the president, despite the senator's history of political tensions with the Trump administration.

The Senate's confirmation process concluded a long-standing disagreement between Senate Republicans and the Trump administration over Blanche's nomination. All Democrats voted against the nominee, while some Republican senators expressed concerns about his past handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents and his involvement in setting up a $1.8 billion fund intended to compensate individuals alleging government persecution, which some critics feared would be used to benefit those convicted in the January 6 Capitol riot.

Blanche eventually agreed to drop the fund after facing backlash from Republican senators during his confirmation hearings. The outcome of this decision remains uncertain, as it's unclear if the commitment is legally enforceable or if Trump could later persuade Blanche to revive a similar initiative under a different name. These complications led the Senate to vote against Blanche, with Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski opposing him due to their concerns over the administration's potential politicization of the Justice Department.

Murkowski specifically cited her doubts about Blanche's ability to "check the worst impulses of this administration."

Senator Cassidy, the final deciding vote, acknowledged the ultimate authority President Trump holds over the direction of the Justice Department. However, Cassidy emphasized that Senate confirmation would grant Blanche "greater leverage to push for things that should be pushed for." Cassidy also highlighted his reluctance to hinder the department's efforts in combating violent crime.

During Trump's impeachment trial in 2021, Cassidy voted to convict Trump over the January 6 Capitol riot, a vote that was ultimately unsuccessful. Subsequently, Trump successfully pushed Cassidy out of his Senate seat in a primary election earlier this year.

Blanche had previously served as deputy attorney general before taking up the interim leadership role in April, following the firing of Pam Bondi.