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The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote Tuesday on advancing Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general following a weekend agreement with Republican holdouts. Blanche, the current acting attorney general and former personal counsel to President Donald Trump, secured backing from GOP Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina after they received written guarantees regarding Trump’s lawsuit settlement with the Internal Revenue Service.
Cornyn and Tillis had threatened to block Blanche’s confirmation unless the Justice Department provided assurances about a $1.8 billion compensation fund for Trump allies who claim they faced politically motivated prosecution. After negotiations concluded Sunday evening, Blanche issued an order explicitly stating the fund does not exist and that no members were appointed, funds transferred, or claims processed under the settlement agreement.
The agreement also clarified that tax audit immunity granted through the IRS settlement applies only to Trump, his two sons, and the Trump Organization and covers only tax matters open at the time of settlement. The immunity does not shield Trump from examination of future tax filings under the revised terms.
Democratic senators contend Blanche’s order provides insufficient protection and have called for permanent legislation barring the fund’s revival. They argue the administration could still compensate Trump allies through existing damage claim processes, potentially benefiting individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol attack.
Blanche has encountered persistent questions about his independence from the White House and the Justice Department’s focus on investigating Trump’s political opponents. His nomination was delayed last week as Cornyn and Tillis, who are departing Congress in January, pressed their demands regarding the IRS lawsuit settlement.
Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS drew sharp criticism for its unprecedented nature, with the president suing an agency under his own executive branch authority. A federal judge last month condemned the case as self-dealing and referred one of Trump’s attorneys for potential disciplinary action.
Blanche, a former federal prosecutor who served on Trump’s defense team during four indictments, assumed the acting attorney general role after Attorney General Pam Bondi took the position. Since his elevation, the Justice Department has moved to indict former FBI Director James Comey on charges related to a social media post and has appointed Reagan-era prosecutor Joseph diGenova to oversee a Florida-based investigation into alleged conspiracies against Trump by former law enforcement officials.
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