Todd Blanche’s Attorney-General Nomination Stalled Over “Anti-Weaponization” Fund

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told reporters on Tuesday that he has not received the assurances he and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) need to support Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general. The Senate Judiciary Committee is slated to vote Thursday on whether to advance the nomination. Without the two Republicans’ backing, the vote is expected to fail.

CNN

In May, the Justice Department announced a $1.776 billion compensation pool created as part of a settlement that resolved former President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. The agreement also pledged that the IRS would no longer pursue Trump, his family, or his businesses for pre-settlement tax liabilities. Republicans refer to the same pool as a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund intended to compensate individuals who claim they were unfairly prosecuted, a provision they argue could be revived in the future.

The Hill

Cornyn and Tillis have asked the Department of Justice to amend the settlement language so that the fund is explicitly terminated and cannot be resurrected. They seek a written adjustment confirming that the “weaponization fund is dead,” as Blanche asserted in a recent hearing. He also raised the possibility that Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley might postpone Thursday’s vote if the issue remains unresolved.

CNN

• “They’ve been kind of radio silent for the last 24 hours,” — Sen. John Cornyn

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The Judiciary Committee’s Thursday vote will determine whether Blanche’s nomination proceeds. If Republican support is not secured, Cornyn warned that Chairman Grassley could delay the vote, extending the confirmation impasse.

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