Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, was sworn in as U.S. attorney general on Monday following a contentious Senate confirmation vote over the weekend that exposed bipartisan concerns about Justice Department independence.
The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump's former personal criminal defense lawyer, as U.S. Attorney General in an early-morning 50-49 party-line vote, ending weeks of political uncertainty despite bipartisan concerns about his independence from the president.
The state of New Mexico filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, accusing federal authorities of stonewalling and blocking the state's criminal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's sex crimes by withholding unredacted files and records.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced five indictments against Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel, with the Justice and State Departments offering over $100 million in rewards for information leading to arrests of cartel leaders, including a $25 million reward for U.S. citizen Juan Carlos González. The charges include drug trafficking, murders, money laundering, and timeshare fraud.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lines to advance Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's nomination after he formally rescinded a planned $1.8 billion fund for Trump allies, swaying GOP holdouts John Cornyn and Thom Tillis. The nomination now heads to a full Senate vote expected before the August recess.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche formally rescinded the DOJ's $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund", winning over GOP holdout senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis. The fund had been created to settle Trump's IRS lawsuit. The deal cleared the path for Blanche's Senate Judiciary Committee vote on August 5.
The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed its confirmation vote on Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general after Republican Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis withheld support, citing lack of written assurances regarding a $1.8 billion Justice Department fund.
Senator Thom Tillis said Thursday he will not vote to advance Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee unless Blanche meets with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse before the committee's expected July 30 vote.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faced tough questioning from both Republican and Democratic senators during his confirmation hearing, with lawmakers pressing him on a controversial IRS settlement granting President Trump tax immunity, the rollout of Epstein files, and a $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday for his confirmation hearing, facing scrutiny over his role as Donald Trump's former private attorney and a recent judge's scathing criticism related to a Justice Department deal over leaked presidential tax returns. Despite the controversies, Republican insiders expect him to win confirmation before the August recess.
President Donald Trump has formally nominated Todd Blanche, his former personal lawyer who has been serving as acting attorney general, to permanently lead the Department of Justice as the nation's top law enforcement officer.
