Blanche Nomination Back on Track as Cassidy Announces He Will Vote for His Confirmation

After a few hours of uncertainty, Todd Blanche’s prospects to be confirmed as attorney general appear to be back on track. With Senator Mitch McConnell out and Democrats united against him, Mr. Blanche could afford to lose only two Republican senators. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski had already announced this week that they would oppose his nomination; that left Mr. Blanche’s fate up to Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.In a speech on the Senate floor on Friday, Mr. Cassidy said Mr. Blanche exhibited poor judgment by approving the $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund. He also raised concerns about lawfare targeting political enemies, which he said presidents of both parties have engaged in. However, the Louisiana senator noted some of the investigations conducted by the Justice Department that critics have labeled lawfare have been dismissed. He also said President Trump “can be unrelenting,” but “this will be true no matter who the attorney general is.”Mr. Cassidy said confirming Mr. Blanche would give him more leverage to push back on the president, and that the acting attorney general has been “criticized for things over which he has no control,” such as presidential pardons. In making his decision, Mr. Cassidy said he consulted with a former attorney general, William Barr, who told the senator he believes Mr. Blanche’s time as Mr. Trump’s attorney would make him “precisely the person to push back” on the president. Mr. Barr also stressed to the senator that “decisions are made by the president.”Mr. Cassidy said Mr. Blanche “knows the law” and is a “hands-on administrator.” He praised the acting attorney general for directing the Justice Department to focus on violent crime, human and drug trafficking, and fraud. “Mr. Blanche is not perfect and he will tell you this. But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. 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,” Mr. Cassidy said. The senator noted that he will likely receive criticism for supporting Mr. Blanche, before asking, “What’s new?” The Senate was expected to vote on Mr. Blanche’s confirmation before senators leave Washington for their August recess. As long as no Republicans change their votes, Mr. Blanche will be confirmed as attorney general.

Blanche Nomination Back on Track as Cassidy Announces He Will Vote for His Confirmation

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