Todd Blanche has been confirmed as United States Attorney General after a 50-49 Senate vote, ending months of uncertainty surrounding the nomination of President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer to lead the country’s highest law enforcement office.
The confirmation came overnight after a lengthy standoff between the Trump administration and Senate Republicans who had raised serious concerns about Blanche’s conduct in the role he had already been filling on an acting basis since April, when his predecessor Pam Bondi was fired.
Two Republican senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, crossed the aisle to vote against Blanche alongside all Senate Democrats.
The Deciding Vote
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana cast the deciding vote, a decision closely watched in Washington given the history between the two men. Cassidy had voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. A vote that ultimately cost him his Senate seat when Trump backed a primary challenger earlier this year.
Despite that history, Cassidy announced his support on Friday.
“This is not a referendum on President Trump, it is a decision regarding Mr Blanche, in very specific circumstances,” he said.
“All considered, I will vote for Mr Blanche.”
He argued that Senate confirmation would give Blanche greater leverage within the Justice Department. Much more than he would have as a permanent acting official.
The objections from Collins and Murkowski centred on several concerns. Both cited questions around Blanche’s handling of the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. They also raised concerns about his role in establishing Trump’s 1.8 billion dollar anti-weaponisation fund. One which critics feared would direct compensation toward individuals prosecuted for participating in the January 6 Capitol attack.
Blanche pledged during his confirmation hearings to step back from the fund. However, whether that commitment is legally binding remains unclear.
Murkowski announced her opposition on Friday, citing her lack of confidence in Blanche to “check the worst impulses of this administration” and expressing concern about the deepening politicisation of the justice department.
After the vote, Blanche said he was “deeply honoured by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me.”
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