The confirmation of Todd Blanche as the nation's next attorney general faces continued uncertainty as Sen. John Cornyn canceled a pivotal meeting with the nominee just one day before the Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled to vote. Cornyn, a key Republican on the committee, expressed persistent concerns regarding President Donald Trump's settlement with the IRS and the administration's "Anti-Weaponization Fund."
Cornyn stated that the Department of Justice (DOJ) had not provided satisfactory documentation to address his demands that the fund be rescinded and that the scope of the IRS audit immunity agreement within the settlement be narrowed. This agreement, signed by Blanche as acting attorney general, would prevent the government from auditing past tax returns of Trump, his family, and their businesses.
"To me, it's pretty simple. They could state that in a modified release form, and that would be responsive to my request," Cornyn told reporters. He indicated that the DOJ knew what was needed but had refused to provide it. Cornyn added that a meeting would be unnecessary if the requested documentation was produced, noting that Blanche had testified about these matters during his confirmation hearing on July 15.
Blanche had previously described the "Anti-Weaponization Fund" as "dead" during his confirmation hearing, but Cornyn sought a written commitment. While the DOJ provided a draft order rescinding the fund and an explanation for its rescission, the revised order did not address the audit immunity portion of the settlement.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Cornyn stated he had not seen any written response that addressed his specific requests. The timeline for the Senate Judiciary Committee's vote on Thursday remains unclear, with Cornyn needing to inform Chairman Chuck Grassley of his decision by 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Cornyn urged the DOJ to provide the necessary documentation within a strict deadline, stating that a decision to proceed with the markup would depend on their response.