The Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general to the full Senate, ending a tense period of negotiations with two reluctant Republican senators and setting up a decisive confirmation fight that Republicans view as a chance to restore a tough law and order agenda at the Justice Department.

Breaking: Senate Judiciary Committee Weighs in on Blanche AG Nomination With Party-Line Vote

The committee cleared Todd Blanche after weeks of negotiations and public pressure, moving his nomination to the Senate floor for a full vote. The decision came after two GOP holdouts, Sens. Thom Tillis and John Cornyn, received assurances they deemed sufficient to change their stance. Republicans say Blanche’s confirmation is central to refocusing the Justice Department on crime, immigration enforcement, and alleged weaponization against political opponents.

The committee vote fell on strict party lines, with every Democrat opposed and every Republican in favor. That included Tillis and Cornyn, both of whom had been reluctant until the late-stage agreements were reached. Conservatives framed the outcome as a rebuke of the Biden-era Justice Department and a step toward restoring accountability for politically motivated prosecutions.

https://x.com/C__Herridge/status/2084656389738152401

Tillis and Cornyn had publicly resisted Blanche because of concerns about a proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund that critics said would reward alleged victims of prosecutorial overreach. Blanche engaged in several rounds of intense negotiations with Cornyn’s counsel to provide language and documentation that the fund would not proceed. Once Blanche produced formal statements, both senators signaled their approval and the nomination regained momentum.

Blanche’s team and Cornyn’s chief legal counsel went through contentious negotiations for several days, going back and forth several times to come up with specific language that Blanche could use confirm that the deal was indeed dead. Late Sunday night, Blanche announced a resolution.

Blanche shared two documents in a post on X, one a signed memo stating that the Justice Department was formally rescinding the order that established anti-weaponization fund, and a second, unsigned statement clarifying the terms of the IRS protections. Tillis and Cornyn quickly affirmed their approval of the deal.

Republican senators argue that Blanche’s firm stance against politicized prosecutions makes him the right person to lead the Justice Department after years of what they describe as selective enforcement. Supporters emphasize his role as a close Trump ally who has prioritized cases tied to alleged election fraud and other high-profile investigations. Opponents warned the nomination would deepen partisan divides and raise concerns about impartial law enforcement procedures.

Blanche has served as acting attorney general since April, stepping into the role amid controversy over his predecessor’s handling of sensitive files. Conservative voices claimed the previous leadership failed to pursue cases aggressively against political foes and mishandled high-profile materials. The change at the Justice Department is being sold by Republicans as necessary to pursue a law and order agenda Republicans campaigned on.

Blanche was thrust into the job after Pam Bondi, the former attorney general, bungled the handling of the Epstein files and ignited a political firestorm that continues to cause problems for Trump and the Justice Department. Trump eventually fired Bondi after months of discussing her failure to aggressively bring cases against his personal and political foes.

Republican leaders want the full Senate to act quickly, with the majority whip signaling a vote could happen before members depart for the August recess. The aim is to secure a confirmation vote while political momentum and public attention remain high. Supporters say a timely confirmation would allow Blanche to continue shaping priority investigations without prolonged uncertainty.

Democrats have vowed to keep fighting the nomination on the floor, arguing that Blanche’s close ties to the president and his prior role as a personal attorney raise conflicts that merit scrutiny. They have pledged procedural maneuvers and continued public messaging to try to block or delay confirmation. Republicans counter that Democrats are defending a politicized status quo and resisting necessary changes to hold bad actors accountable.

The confirmation fight is squarely framed as a test of whether Washington will prioritize an aggressive approach to crime, border enforcement, and alleged partisan prosecutions. Republicans present Blanche as a candidate who will restore balance and fight the weaponization of federal power. The coming Senate debate will determine whether that promise becomes official policy at the Justice Department.