US Senate Confirms Trump Loyalist Todd Blanche as New AG

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, announced on Friday her intention to oppose the nomination of Todd Blanche for the position of attorney general. This move reduces the likelihood of President Donald Trump's choice to head the Justice Department being confirmed. Murkowski expressed her concerns regarding the proposed fund for compensating individuals who were involved in the January 6 riot, despite Blanche's pledge to abandon the idea.

She emphasized that the Senate holds leverage over this fund, which is contingent on Blanche's pending nomination. If Blanche is confirmed, this leverage would be lost, according to Murkowski.

Blanche secured the necessary support from the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 12-10 vote, primarily due to his assurance to Republican skeptics that he would not push for the fund. With Republicans holding a 53-47 majority in the Senate, Blanche could only withstand two Republican defectors if all Democrats were opposed to his confirmation.

Currently, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is absent from Senate proceedings, leaving Blanche with the challenge of losing only two Republican votes if all Democrats oppose him. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has also declared her opposition, and another critical Republican, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, has not yet disclosed his voting stance.

The Senate Judiciary Committee's vote came after a deal was reached late Sunday between Blanche and two other Republican senators, John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. These senators had threatened to block Blanche's confirmation over the settlement of Trump's lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service concerning the president's leaked tax returns.

After extensive negotiations, Blanche publicly confirmed on Sunday evening that there was no fund for compensating Trump allies who felt unfairly investigated or prosecuted by the Justice Department.