Todd Blanche is now the nation's top law enforcement official. The Senate confirmed him as attorney general in a 50-49 vote early Saturday, placing President Trump's former personal defense lawyer at the head of the Justice Department.
Two Republicans crossed party lines to vote against the nomination. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined all Democrats in opposition, according to CBS News. With GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky absent from the chamber, the vote came down to Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who announced his support on Friday, making his vote decisive.
Blanche had been serving as acting attorney general since April, when Pam Bondi was removed from the role. Trump announced in June that he wanted Blanche to lead the department permanently.
The path to confirmation was not smooth. Senators from both parties took issue with a $1.8 billion fund the Justice Department created, which it called an "anti-weaponization" fund. The program was designed to pay out money to people who claimed they were wronged by the federal government. It was established as part of a settlement the department reached with Trump in May to resolve a $10 billion civil lawsuit he filed against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns.
Senators also pushed back on a second element of the settlement: a provision granting broad immunity to Trump, members of his family, and his businesses from tax audits and investigations.
Two Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, were skeptical during Blanche's confirmation hearing in June. Their support was not secured until after weeks of negotiations with the Justice Department. As part of a deal reached with the two senators, Blanche issued an order rescinding his initial directive establishing the fund. He also clarified that the immunity provision covers only claims arising from already-filed tax returns and applies only to Trump, his two oldest sons, and the Trump Organization.
During his confirmation hearing, Blanche had told the Judiciary Committee that the anti-weaponization fund is "dead," and that the department was "not moving forward" with the program.
With Cornyn and Tillis on board, Blanche advanced out of the Judiciary Committee and onto the full Senate floor.
Shortly after the vote, Blanche posted on social media, saying he was "deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me to lead the Department of Justice."
