Todd Blanche confirmed as attorney general 50-49 — SkimNews
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- Todd Blanche was confirmed as attorney general in a 50-49 Senate vote, with two Republicans — Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski — joining all Democrats in opposition, and Bill Cassidy casting the deciding vote.
- Murkowski said she lacked confidence in Blanche to 'check the worst impulses of this administration,' citing concerns over the politicisation of the justice department.
- Senators raised concerns about Blanche's handling of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents and his role in establishing Trump's $1.8bn 'anti-weaponisation' fund, which critics feared would compensate individuals prosecuted over the 6 January 2021 Capitol attack.
- Blanche pledged to walk back the fund after blowback during his confirmation hearings, though it remains unclear whether the commitment is legally binding or whether Trump could later revive a similar scheme under another name.
- Cassidy, who voted to convict Trump during his 2021 impeachment, said Senate confirmation gives Blanche 'greater leverage to push for things that should be pushed for' against the president's direction.
- Blanche had been serving as acting attorney general since April, when he stepped up from deputy attorney general after Pam Bondi was fired.
Why it matters: Blanche's razor-thin 50-49 confirmation — saved only by Cassidy's swing vote — leaves the attorney general politically exposed, with two Senate Republicans publicly on record against him. The unresolved 'anti-weaponisation' fund commitment is non-binding, leaving Trump a potential workaround to revive the scheme by another name and keeping the politicisation fight alive even after the vote.
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