Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general will advance to a full Senate vote after he agreed to scrap Donald Trump's $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund. Critics, however, argue the deal is 'hollow' and easily reversible by Trump.
The advancement of Todd Blanche's nomination hinges on assurances regarding Donald Trump's 'anti-weaponization' fund, raising questions about the independence of the Department of Justice and the potential for political influence over legal settlements.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general will advance to a full US Senate vote after he confirmed in writing that a planned $1.8 billion slush fund for Donald Trump’s allies was dead. The US Senate judiciary committee voted along party lines to advance the nomination. Blanche, one of Donald Trump’s legal aides, signed an order scrapping the so-called Anti-Weaponization Fund, created as part of a settlement ending Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, in a bid to defuse Republican opposition. Critics, including two Republican senators, John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, had demanded guarantees that the fund would be shelved permanently. While Cornyn and Tillis stated their concerns were satisfied, critics argue that Trump could easily reverse the deal and that the original settlement agreement referencing the fund remains unmodified. The Justice Department clarified that the IRS-related order was limited to the plaintiffs in the original settlement and did not amount to blanket protection from future audits.
Pick the topics you care about. Get only what matters, on your cadence.