The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as President Donald Trump’s attorney general Saturday morning, handing the former Trump defense lawyer permanent control of the Justice Department after a contentious confirmation battle that nearly collapsed over Republican opposition.
Blanche was confirmed in a razor-thin 50-49 vote, with Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) joining every Democrat in voting against his nomination.
The vote formally elevates Blanche, 51, after he had served as acting attorney general since April, when Trump promoted him from deputy attorney general following the firing of Pam Bondi.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IO) made the case for Blanche ahead of the final vote.
“Mr. Blanche is nominated to one of the most important offices in our country, and he has shown that he’s up to that task,” Grassley said.
“His impressive background and the presentation at our hearing in the Judiciary Committee are proof that he’s led the Justice Department with distinction and is well suited to continue doing that,” he added.
Grassley ultimately declared that “a vote for Todd Blanche is a vote for the safety of the American people.”
Despite the endorsement from Republican leadership, Blanche’s path to confirmation was anything but certain.
His nomination faced concerns from senators over the Justice Department’s handling of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as a controversial settlement involving Trump and the Internal Revenue Service.
A May 19 Justice Department order authorized the creation of a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund and granted Trump, his family and business entities immunity from IRS audits as part of the settlement of a lawsuit Trump filed against the agency, according to the New York Post.
Blanche was serving as acting attorney general when the order was signed.
During a July 15 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Blanche declared the proposed fund “dead.”
His assurances did not immediately satisfy Republican Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), who subsequently demanded written confirmation that the fund would not move forward and clarification about whether Trump and his family would be protected from future IRS audits.
The concerns were serious enough to delay Blanche’s confirmation vote.
Blanche eventually moved closer to confirmation after rescinding the fund, according to the New York Post.
His nomination cleared another major hurdle earlier this week when the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced it in a 12-10 party-line vote.
The final Senate vote remained precarious.
With Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) absent because of ongoing health issues, Blanche could afford to lose only two Republican senators.
Murkowski and Collins ultimately became those two defections.
Both senators cited concerns involving the Epstein files and the Trump-IRS settlement, as well as what they characterized as increasing politicization at the Justice Department.
That placed enormous importance on Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy (R) who emerged as the decisive Republican vote.
Cassidy has had a complicated relationship with Trump.
The Louisiana senator voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and lost his Republican primary earlier this year after Trump endorsed his opponent.
Cassidy also openly criticized Blanche before announcing how he would vote.
He accused Blanche of showing “poor judgment” by approving the anti-weaponization fund and exempting the president from IRS audits.
Cassidy also raised concerns about the Justice Department targeting Trump’s political opponents.
Despite those objections, Cassidy ultimately backed the president’s nominee.
“I will vote for Mr. Blanche,” Cassidy announced ahead of Saturday’s confirmation.
That decision provided Blanche with the support he needed to survive one of the closest confirmation votes of Trump’s second administration.
Blanche, a Colorado native, previously served as Trump’s personal attorney and represented him during some of the most consequential legal battles of his political career.
Trump later brought Blanche into the Justice Department as deputy attorney general before elevating him to acting attorney general on April 2 following Bondi’s departure.
He will now lead the department on a permanent basis after surviving a confirmation battle in which a single additional Republican defection could have jeopardized his nomination.
The 50-49 vote gives Trump his permanent attorney general while simultaneously highlighting concerns within his own party over the direction and conduct of the Justice Department.
