Judiciary Committee cancels vote on Blanche AG nomination amid GOP opposition

The Senate Judiciary Committee has postponed a scheduled vote on the nomination of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Chairman Chuck Grassley made the decision to delay the markup after facing opposition from key members of his own party. The hold stems from concerns raised by Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis regarding a proposed $1.776 billion fund for victims of Department of Justice actions.

Both Cornyn and Tillis have made their support contingent upon the formal and permanent dissolution of this fund. They have expressed frustration with the current administration, claiming the Justice Department has failed to cooperate with requests for written confirmation that the program is canceled. Senator Tillis explicitly noted he would not provide the quorum required for the meeting to move forward without a clear agreement in place.

Todd Blanche attempted to address these concerns by meeting with legislators on Capitol Hill. While he has publicly stated that the fund is not moving forward, the senators are demanding a formal, written agreement to back that claim. This dispute over the so-called anti-weaponization fund—originally tied to a legal settlement involving former President Trump—has become a significant hurdle for the confirmation process.

The committee intends to use the extra time to secure the necessary support to report the nomination out of the panel. Both Cornyn and Tillis are nearing the end of their time in Congress, giving them increased leverage in the negotiation process. The outcome of these discussions remains unclear as the committee attempts to navigate the demands of its members while trying to move the nomination forward.