Washington, D.C., August 8 (ANI): The U.S. Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general by a narrow 50-49 vote early Saturday, CNN reported, granting President Donald Trump’s former personal defense lawyer formal command over the Department of Justice.
Blanche had already been steering the department in an acting role after Trump removed Pam Bondi from the top position in April.
The confirmation marked the culmination of a bitter legislative conflict that underscored deep anxieties among Democrats and some Republicans regarding the placement of a key presidential loyalist atop a department that has historically prized its independence from the White House.
According to CNN, Blanche secured confirmation by the narrowest possible margin, with Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska breaking ranks to vote against him.
Since Trump re-entered the White House, Blanche has played a key role in restructuring the department to reflect the president’s priorities, transitioning from leading Trump’s legal defense team to driving an extensive administrative agenda.
During his time at the agency, he pushed forward legal arguments designed to expand executive authority and presidential protections, directed broad personnel changes involving experienced prosecutors and veteran officials, and spearheaded a legal strategy that has drawn sharp questions from judges across the nation.
During his brief tenure as acting attorney general, the Justice Department pursued indictments against prominent political figures, including former FBI Director James Comey, and issued subpoenas targeting journalists’ sources. CNN reported that the department also established and subsequently dismantled the controversial anti-weaponization fund while approving a tax immunity arrangement between the president and the Internal Revenue Service.
However, Blanche’s operational influence within the agency extends back much further. CNN previously reported that even during his tenure as deputy attorney general, Blanche frequently led key meetings, including sessions traditionally chaired by the attorney general.
Sources told CNN that, following his formal confirmation, Blanche plans to deploy a similar strategy, pursuing cases that highlight what the president alleges were past instances of Justice Department “weaponization” against him, his supporters and his key allies.
He is also expected to push forward core administration priorities, including hard-line immigration enforcement and an expanded crackdown on fraud involving government programs.
A former federal prosecutor who spent years in public service before entering private practice a decade ago, Blanche resigned his partnership at the prominent New York law firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in April 2023 to represent Trump as he faced multiple criminal indictments.
His decision to take the case surprised many close to him. Previously registered as a Democrat, Blanche was regarded as a dedicated prosecutor who kept his personal politics private. Former colleagues expressed surprise at seeing him embrace and mirror his client’s public rhetoric, a transformation that legal peers continue to analyze.
The professional risk yielded massive political dividends, with Blanche swiftly becoming Trump’s primary attorney across three federal indictments.
He sat alongside Trump as one of a select few advisers during his New York hush-money criminal trial. While Trump was ultimately convicted, Blanche’s legal maneuvers successfully deferred sentencing until after the presidential election, preventing pre-election imprisonment.
In a separate federal election interference case, Blanche’s legal team secured a favorable Supreme Court ruling expanding presidential immunity. His team also persuaded a federal judge in Florida to dismiss charges regarding the handling of classified documents.
Although Blanche originally informed associates he was not seeking a government position, according to CNN sources at the time, Trump nominated him as the department’s second-in-command, publicly declaring that Blanche would fix “what has been a broken System of Justice for far too long.”
Once inside the department, Blanche quickly positioned himself for the top post as Trump’s dissatisfaction with Bondi grew. Following her dismissal, he seamlessly stepped into the leadership role, with one official remarking of his confirmation, “This is exactly what he’s been waiting for.”
His path through the Senate remained difficult. Despite spending two days in Alaska, resolving outstanding state lawsuits and settlements, and directing more than $6 million in grants to the state, Blanche failed to win over Murkowski.
“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” Murkowski said of her decision. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”
Blanche also faced resistance from Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy over concerns regarding the “weaponization of the Justice Department,” specifically touching on a potential probe into former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, a key witness in the congressional January 6 inquiry.
His nomination was further delayed in the Senate Judiciary Committee during intense negotiations with Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis. To resolve their concerns over the anti-weaponization fund and the IRS agreement, Blanche signed a memo ending the fund and issued a secondary memo clarifying the tax agreement’s terms to finalize his confirmation. (ANI)
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