Topline
A planned Senate committee vote to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general has been delayed, potentially endangering his candidacy, after pushback from two Republican lawmakers over Blanche’s role in the controversial settlement in President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS.
Key Facts
An update on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s website noted that Thursday’s planned meeting to discuss Blanche’s nomination has been postponed.
In a statement shared with various outlets, a spokesperson for Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa—the judiciary committee chair—said the meeting is postponed as “work continues to secure sufficient support” for Blanche’s nomination.
Grassley’s statement noted that Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., want “written assurances” from the DOJ regarding the Trump-IRS settlement.
The postponement of the vote was announced after several hours of talks between the DOJ and the two senators and a meeting between Cornyn, Tillis and Grassley.
While Blanche has not commented on the postponement yet, the DOJ told the Associated Press that it intends to continue working “productively with Senators to address any concerns.”
What Has Trump Said About The Opposition To Blanche?
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump dismissed concerns about Blanche’s confirmation hitting a roadblock and insisted that he was “outstanding…You just wouldn’t find a better person.” The president then took a shot at the Texas senator, saying “Maybe John Cornyn’s upset with me because I didn’t endorse him.” Trump endorsed Cornyn’s opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who won the Texas GOP Senate primary in May. Speaking to reporters at the Capitol, Cornyn pushed back against Trump’s remarks, saying: “I think that’s a convenient excuse for not cooperating with the judiciary committee’s appropriate role in the confirmation.” The president has not yet commented on the delay in the Senate panel vote.
