Two Republican senators have reversed their opposition to President Donald Trump's attorney general nominee, Todd Blanche, following written assurances from the Justice Department concerning a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund and the scope of an IRS audit for the former president and his family.
Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis announced their decision to support Blanche's nomination after the Justice Department agreed in writing to terminate the controversial fund and limit the reach of the audit release. The move paves the way for Blanche's nomination to advance through the Senate Judiciary Committee, potentially as early as Tuesday morning, and subsequently to the full Senate for confirmation.
The agreement marks the resolution of a multi-week standoff that had raised concerns among the Republican holdouts about the terms of a broad IRS tax immunity agreement and the $1.8 billion fund intended to compensate individuals who claimed political persecution.
In a joint statement, Cornyn and Tillis expressed gratitude to Blanche and his team for their engagement. "We want to express our gratitude to Mr. Blanche and his staff for working with us on this, and we look forward to voting to advance his nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee soon," the statement read.
Cornyn's office confirmed that the Justice Department has officially ended the $1.8 billion fund, which was established to provide compensation to Trump allies alleging political persecution. Additionally, Cornyn received written assurance that the IRS tax audit protection granted to Trump and his family is significantly narrower than initially feared by Republicans.
Despite Blanche's previous testimony indicating that the IRS settlement and the anti-weaponization fund were inactive, Trump had publicly reaffirmed his support for these measures, even suggesting on social media he might withdraw and resubmit Blanche's nomination after Cornyn and Tillis were no longer in the Senate. Cornyn and Tillis had indicated that resistance to their concerns appeared to originate from within the White House, rather than from Blanche or the Justice Department.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the resolution on social media Monday, stating, "My team and I have met with committee members and Senators over the past several weeks and addressed any concerns or outstanding questions. We have enjoyed good faith discussions, and as a result issue the following order and update with regard to the May IRS settlement."
