Todd Blanche’s chances of becoming attorney general could hinge on John Cornyn– www.politico.com
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EXCERPT:
Todd Blanche repeatedly told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday that the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” he helped launch as acting attorney general was now, in fact, “dead.” But one Republican on the panel isn’t sold.
At his confirmation hearing to lead the Justice Department permanently, Todd Blanche had to convince Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas — two GOP senators the president undermined in their election bids — that they no longer had to worry about the fund. Critics in both parties feared was intended to pad the pockets of President Donald Trump’s supporters.
Assuming all Democrats vote in unison against confirming Blanche in committee, a single Republican “no” on the Judiciary panel would be fatal to Blanche’s chances of getting to the floor. Tillis and Cornyn, who are both leaving Congress at the end of the year, have left the door open to defecting.
Tillis, who retired after Trump attacked him over policy disagreements, wouldn’t promise he would vote for Blanche. But he walked away Wednesday saying Blanche did “a good job” and expressed confidence he might be able to persuade his colleagues to approve a measure declaring the fund “legally moot.”