Full Breakdown
Senate Vote on Todd Blanche’s Attorney-General Nomination Stalled Over Trump-IRS Settlement
7/30/2026, 1:46:43 AM
Core Event
The Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled a vote to move Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general to the full Senate. The vote, set for Thursday, faces possible delay because Republican Senator John Cornyn, a pivotal swing vote, has asked the Justice Department for written assurances that the settlement ending President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will not be revived. Cornyn’s request follows his cancellation of a Wednesday meeting with Blanche, who has been serving as acting attorney general since Pam Bondi’s dismissal in April.
Settlement Background
The disputed settlement resolved Trump’s lawsuit by granting the president and his family immunity from existing IRS audits and included a now-abandoned proposal for a $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” intended to compensate individuals who claimed they were wronged by the Justice Department. In June, the Justice Department announced it would no longer pursue the fund amid bipartisan criticism, but it confirmed that the audit-immunity component of the agreement remains in effect. Some lawmakers worry the fund could be resurrected without a formal written commitment that it is dead, especially after President Trump expressed continued support for the idea.
Cornyn’s Demands and DOJ Position
Senator Cornyn told reporters the Justice Department has not provided a written clarification of the settlement’s scope, particularly regarding any future tax-audit protections for the president. The Justice Department maintains that the immunity covers only existing audits and does not shield the president from future examinations, and it reiterated that the Anti-Weaponization Fund is no longer being pursued.
Verbatim Quotes
- “They know what they need to do but they simply refuse to do it,” — Sen. John Cornyn
- “We're been trying to help them get to a conclusion here and they won't let us. It's befuddling to me,” — Sen. John Cornyn
