Senate panel clears hurdle for Todd Blanche DOJ nomination

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's nomination to lead the Justice Department permanently cleared a major hurdle on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, when the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance it to the full Senate. The 12-10 party-line vote followed a weekend deal that resolved a standoff with two key Republican senators, setting the stage for a tight confirmation vote on the Senate floor.

The nomination had been delayed for weeks after Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina withheld their support. Their objections centered on a $1.8 billion fund, created as part of a May settlement between former President Donald Trump and the Internal Revenue Service, which critics labeled an "anti-weaponization" fund that could benefit individuals charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Blanche issued a formal order late Sunday rescinding the fund, stating no money had been transferred and no claims process established. He also provided a written clarification that audit protections in the settlement applied only retroactively to Trump, two of his sons, and the Trump Organization for matters already under review, not for future...