Blanche wins support for attorney general from GOP Sen. Cassidy, likely paving way for confirmation

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said Friday he will back Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general, likely paving the way for Blanche to be confirmed to lead President Donald Trump’s Justice Department.

The Louisiana senator announced his support on the Senate floor after Blanche’s confirmation was thrown into doubt over opposition from two other Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.

Cassidy said Blanche “is not perfect” but no one is, and he suggested another nominee may not be any better. Cassidy, who lost his Republican primary after Trump endorsed his rival, appeared to choke up as he described criticism he expected to face for his vote, adding: “What’s new?”

“This is not a referendum on President Trump. It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances,” Cassidy said.

Blanche’s path to confirmation has been complicated over a settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service that has drawn intense scrutiny by Republicans and Democrats alike.

The settlement called for the creation of a $1.8 billion fund to compensate people who feel mistreated by the criminal justice system and provided Trump and family members with immunity from tax audits.

Murkowski, in announcing her opposition, cited the Justice Department’s handling of files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, the sweeping tax audit immunity deal and the proposed “Anti-Weaponization Fund.”

The Alaska senator said she is worried the Trump administration could proceed with the fund despite the administration’s promises that it is dead, noting that the Senate has leverage over the fund only because Blanche’s nomination is pending.

“Once we vote, that will end, and there is no telling what the future holds,” she said.

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Blanche’s nomination only after a deal reached last weekend with two other Republican senators — John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina — who had been threatening to block his confirmation over aspects of the settlement.

Under the deal, Blanche formally rescinded the “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” writing in an order that “there is no Fund.”

The Justice Department also clarified in writing that the tax audit immunity agreement applies only to claims open at the time of the settlement and does not protect Trump from examination of future tax filings. It also makes clear that only the parties that brought the lawsuit — Trump, two of his sons and the Trump Organization — are covered by the tax agreement.

But Democrats say Blanche’s order doesn’t stop the Trump administration from reviving the fund after his confirmation and have called for legislation to permanently bar it. Trump has repeatedly defended the fund and has threatened to push forward with it if Republicans don’t support Blanche’s nomination.

Lawmakers and legal experts have also questioned the lawfulness of the tax protections for Trump. A federal judge who oversaw the IRS case has described Trump’s lawsuit as an improper exercise in self-dealing, and on Thursday the union representing IRS workers asked another judge to block the immunity agreement.