Full Breakdown
Todd Blanche Confirmed as Attorney General Amid Partisan Fight
8/8/2026, 10:35:02 PM
Core Event
The U.S. Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as the nation’s 88th attorney general in a 50-49 vote. Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana cast the decisive “yes,” tipping the balance after two GOP senators—Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska—joined all Democrats in opposition.
Background & Context
President Donald Trump nominated Blanche, his former personal lawyer, in June to replace Pam Bondi, whom Trump dismissed in April. Blanche had been serving as acting attorney general since that removal and previously held the deputy post. His confirmation battle centered on three controversial actions:
- The creation of a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund as part of a settlement of Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS, intended to compensate individuals who claimed government persecution, including some convicted in the Jan. 6 attack.
- A tax-audit immunity agreement that shielded Trump, his two eldest sons and the Trump Organization from future IRS examinations.
- The Justice Department’s handling of the release of more than 3 million pages of documents from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, which exposed unredacted victim information.
Republican senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina extracted written assurances that the fund was “dead” and that the immunity deal applied only to claims already pending. Blanche complied, rescinding the fund and narrowing the audit-immunity scope.
Timeline
- July 15, 2026 – Blanche appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- August 5, 2026 – Cassidy announces on the Senate floor his support, citing the need for a confirmed AG.
- August 8, 2026 – The Senate votes 50-49 to confirm Blanche.
Data & Statistics
- Confirmation vote: 50 yes, 49 no.
- Opposing votes: all 48 Democrats, plus Collins and Murkowski.
- DOJ staff turnover since Blanche assumed acting leadership: roughly 20,000 career employees have left, according to internal reports.
Official Statements & Responses
Cassidy argued the choice was between Blanche and an acting official who might not run the department effectively under President Trump.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” — Lisa Murkowski.
- “I am deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me to lead the Department of Justice as our great nation’s 88th Attorney General,” — Todd Blanche.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Republican senators who secured Blanche’s concessions argue the rescission makes the fund legally dead and that the immunity agreement now covers only past tax years. Democratic lawmakers and legal scholars counter that the rescission does not amend the underlying settlement contract, leaving the fund “easily revived.”
Why It Matters
Blanche’s confirmation places a close Trump ally at the helm of the Justice Department during a period of heightened partisan scrutiny. The narrow vote underscores the fragility of Senate support for executive nominees and sets the stage for future battles over the department’s role in American governance.
