by Ben Whedon
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said Friday that he will support acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to the permanently have to post.
With fellow GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell, Kentucky, still absent after a hospitalization, Senate Republicans could afford to lose only two votes in their effort to confirm the Trump nominee – if all of the chamber’s Democrats, as expected, vote against Blanche.
Before saying “yes,” Cassidy had not supported Blanche, with GOP Sen. Susan Collins, of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, the two “no” votes.
“I have carefully reviewed Todd Blanche’s qualifications to be Attorney General. This includes his record and responses to questions from Senators at the Department of Justice Appropriations hearing, his confirmation hearing, and in the weeks that followed. While I believe Mr. Blanche is a capable lawyer, the Department of Justice has become increasingly political,” Collins said.
“Mr. Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the Department’s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation,” she said.
Some actions Collins cited included creating the anti-weaponization fund and seeking to ban abortion medication being sent in the mail.
According to Murkowski, “the politicization—even weaponization—of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it.”
“I take issue with the handling of the release of the Epstein files; the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, and their businesses; the statements that have been made to anti-abortion groups; and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. Senators,” she said.
“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration. I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case,” the senator added.
Senate Republican Leader John Thune, of South Dakota, now has enough votes to confirm Blanche and can hold a final vote on the Senate floor before August recess.
President Trump having backed the primary candidate who defeated Cassidy, sparked speculation the Louisiana would try to tank Blanche’s nomination.
However, Casssidy said in backing Blanche: “This is not a referendum on President Trump. It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances. All considered, I will vote for Mr. Blanche.”
“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this. But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche,” he continued. “It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche.”
Sens. Thom Tillis, of North Carolina, and John Cornyn, of Texas, previously dropped their opposition to Blanche after he provided them with written assurances on the end of an abandoned “anti-weaponization fund.”
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Ben Whedon is a reporter for Just the News. Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network and contributed to this story.
Photo “Todd Blanche” by the Department of Justice.
