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Blanche confirmed 50-49
The U.S. Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general in a 50-49 vote, elevating President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer to lead the Department of Justice.
“El senado de Estados Unidos confirmó por un estrecho margen a Todd Blanche”
France 24 said the confirmation came after a Senate vote on Saturday 8 de agosto, with 50 votes a favor and 49 en contra, after several Republican legislators voted against the nominee.
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Straight Arrow reported the Senate confirmed Blanche early Saturday morning after weeks of delays, negotiations and controversy, with a largely party-line vote of 50-49.
Newsweek said the narrow victory came at 4 a.m. on Saturday as a late-night session continued into the early hours, and it quoted White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling the confirmation “a huge win for President Trump and our country.”
Opposition centers on DOJ
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said she would oppose Blanche’s nomination, citing the Justice Department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein and a sweeping tax audit immunity deal for Trump, as well as a proposed $1.8 billion fund.
PBS quoted Murkowski saying, "The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration," and it added that she said she simply did not have confidence that Blanche would do so.
The Guardian reported that Murkowski said the Department’s nearly $2-billion dollar slush fund was only off the table because the nomination was pending, and it quoted her warning, "Once we vote, that will end, and there is no telling what the future holds."
In the same Guardian account, Chuck Schumer argued Senate Republicans had handed Trump an excuse on a silver platter by confirming Blanche, writing on X that Republicans had “handed Trump an excuse on a silver platter” to continue pervasive corruption.
IRS deal and next steps
Blanche’s confirmation followed negotiations over a settlement tied to Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS, with multiple outlets describing a proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund and tax audit immunity as central points of contention.
“Under the deal, Blanche formally rescinded the "Anti-Weaponization Fund," writing in an order that "there is no Fund."”
Straight Arrow said Cassidy cast the deciding vote after Murkowski announced her opposition, citing what she called the “weaponization” of the Justice Department and concerns over a proposed “slush fund,” and it said Cassidy questioned whether Blanche could remain independent of the president.
PBS reported that under the deal Blanche formally rescinded the “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” writing in an order that "there is no Fund," and it said the Justice Department clarified in writing that the tax audit immunity agreement applies only to claims open at the time of the settlement.
ABC added that Blanche issued an order to eliminate the fund against the “instrumentalización política” de la justicia and clarified that the tax immunity agreement would apply retroactively to prior tax exercises and not to “futuras declaraciones.”
