Todd Blanche’s bid to become the next United States attorney general has hit a setback after the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a vote on his nomination amid concerns from Republican lawmakers over President Donald Trump’s settlement with the Internal Revenue Service.
The committee had been expected to decide on Thursday whether Blanche’s nomination should advance to the full Senate. However, the vote was shelved after two Republican senators on the panel sought additional guarantees regarding the controversial agreement.
Confirming the development, a committee spokesperson said the vote had been postponed “as work continues to secure sufficient support.”
The delay followed negotiations between the Department of Justice and Republican Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, who are seeking greater clarity on the settlement reached in Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS.
A major point of contention is the agreement that resolved Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the tax agency. Besides ending tax-related claims involving the president and members of his family, the settlement initially proposed a $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” for individuals claiming they had been unfairly targeted by the Justice Department.
Although the Justice Department later abandoned the proposed fund after widespread criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, officials have maintained that the provision protecting Trump and his family from certain tax audits remains intact.
Cornyn and Tillis have requested written confirmation that the fund has been permanently dropped. They have also asked the administration to clarify that the audit protections apply only to existing tax matters and not to any future IRS examinations.
Earlier on Wednesday, Cornyn criticised the Justice Department’s handling of the matter.
“We’re been trying to help them get to a conclusion here and they won’t let us. It’s befuddling to me,” he told reporters.
Blanche left Capitol Hill without responding to questions from journalists after meeting with senators behind closed doors.
According to a source familiar with the discussions, the Justice Department later sent revised wording to Cornyn and Tillis in an effort to address their concerns.
Following the postponement, the department expressed confidence that discussions would continue.
“[We] look forward to continuing to work productively with Senators to address any concerns,” the department said.
President Trump, meanwhile, brushed aside suggestions that Blanche’s nomination was in trouble, describing his former personal lawyer as “outstanding.”
“Maybe John Cornyn’s upset with me because I didn’t endorse him,” Trump told reporters.
Cornyn recently lost the Republican Senate primary in Texas to Attorney General Ken Paxton, who had Trump’s backing.
Some lawmakers remain unconvinced that the proposed “Anti-Weaponization Fund” has been permanently abandoned, arguing that only a formal written commitment from the administration can prevent it from resurfacing, particularly as Trump has continued to speak favourably about the proposal.
During his confirmation hearing, Blanche declined to provide such a written assurance but indicated the administration would support legislation preventing the fund from being created.
The settlement has also drawn criticism from the federal judge overseeing the case, who questioned whether Trump had benefited improperly from the agreement and raised concerns about Blanche’s involvement because he had previously served as Trump’s lawyer.
Blanche has rejected those concerns, insisting he disagrees “with the judge’s insinuations” regarding his role.
