Republican senators drop opposition after controversial compensation fund is scrapped
Two Republican senators who had threatened to block Todd Blanche’s confirmation as the next US attorney general have now agreed to support his nomination after he formally withdrew a controversial compensation fund proposed by President Donald Trump.
Senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn announced their support after Blanche, who is currently serving as acting attorney general, officially terminated the proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponisation” fund.
“We are pleased that the Department of Justice has issued a formal order terminating the anti-weaponization fund,” the senators said in a joint statement.
Fund sparked bipartisan criticism
The proposed fund was introduced earlier this year as part of a settlement linked to Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over the leak of his tax returns.
It would have allowed Trump allies to seek compensation for what they claimed were politically motivated prosecutions under previous administrations, including cases related to the January 6, 2021 US Capitol riot.
The proposal drew criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans, who argued it could benefit individuals convicted of assaulting police officers during the Capitol attack.
Tax audit concerns addressed
Tillis and Cornyn had also raised concerns about a provision that would have protected Trump, his family and the Trump Organization from IRS audits linked to past tax returns.
According to Blanche, that protection has now been narrowed to apply only to the named plaintiffs in the lawsuit: Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and the Trump Organization.
Confirmation process moves forward
With the objections removed, Blanche’s nomination is expected to move ahead in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is scheduled to meet on Tuesday.
“We look forward to voting to advance his nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee soon,” Tillis said.
Blanche confirmed on X that he had met with senators to address their concerns and released a signed order stating: “This Order establishes, beyond any doubt, that there is no Fund.”
Trump previously sent mixed signals
Although Trump declared on Friday that the fund was “dead”, he later suggested over the weekend that he could revive the proposal if Republican senators failed to back Blanche.
The delay had also fuelled speculation that Trump might withdraw Blanche’s nomination and renominate him after Tillis and Cornyn leave the Senate in January.
Political analysts had warned that if Democrats gained control of the Senate following the November midterm elections, Blanche’s chances of becoming the next US attorney general could become significantly more difficult.
