Senate committee postpones vote on Todd Blanche’s nomination over disagreements with GOP senators

Two Republicans on the Judiciary Committee said they have not received the assurances they’re seeking from the Justice Department regarding the Trump-IRS settlement.

'Oh my God!' Todd Blanche's 'slippery' escape from near-certain rebuke stuns onlookers

The delayed vote to advance the confirmation of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is drawing sharp online reactions.On Wednesday, reporters revealed that the Senate Judiciary Committee planned to delay the markup and vote on Blanche's nomination to be President Donald Trump's attorney general, with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the committee chair, saying he's working to help shore up votes to advance the nomination.Online, reactions ranged from surprise to condemnation of the move by the Republican-led committee. Blanche's confirmation had been complicated by his handling of the Epstein files as deputy attorney general and his refusal to put in writing that Trump's anti-weaponization fund is dead."Republicans just took down the Blanche vote for tomorrow," Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) reacted on Bluesky. "Shows how truthful Blanche was about the slush fund deal being dead, that he couldn't even convince Republicans. He's a slippery weasel, and that was a slippery deal.""Simply have to lmao," wrote Max Steele, the senior director of communications for the gun-control advocacy group Everytown.Capitol Hill reporter Scott MacFarlane shared a quote from Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), saying, "Republicans were forced to postpone Todd Blanche's confirmation vote because they knew he was too corrupt and untrustworthy to get enough votes."Garcia's quote continued, "Blanche went from being Trump's personal lawyer to running the Epstein files cover-up and orchestrating billion-dollar slush funds."Eric Michael Garcia, the Washington bureau chief at The Independent and MS NOW columnist, reacted on Bluesky by simply writing, "Oh my god!""What's really stunning here is that they went ahead with hearings when they didn't have the votes," noted Noah Berlatsky, a writer for the legal and political Substack Public Notice. "Everybody desperately tries to avoid this happening usually. If they don't have the votes, they don't hold hearings.""Republicans just took down the Blanche vote for tomorrow. Shows how truthful Blanche was about the slush fund deal being dead, that he couldn’t even convince Republicans. He’s a slippery weasel, and that was a slippery deal," Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) posted on Bluesky.

Senate panel delays critical vote to advance Blanche attorney general nomination

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s confirmation process to permanently remain in the position was set back on Wednesday when a key Senate committee postponed a key vote advancing his nomination.  A spokesperson for the Senate judiciary committee, which is led by Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), suggested Wednesday’s vote was pushed back because Blanche lacks the […]

Todd Blanche’s rocky road: From the Politics Desk

In today’s edition, we dig into the uncertain paths forward for Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination and the Iran war.

GOP strategist accuses Mitch McConnell's team of morbid scam — and tells them to lawyer up

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has posted two images from the hospital to show proof of life, amid swirling speculation about his declining health.But former GOP strategist turned Lincoln Project co-founder Steve Schmidt doesn't buy it — and told Joanna Coles on The Daily Beast Podcast this week that he is convinced there is a cover-up underway.“Here’s my advice to the Mitch McConnell team: get lawyers,” said Schmidt. “I think this is a fraud that’s being perpetrated upon the taxpayer and whatever statute is applicable. I think there’s a high likelihood that what they’re doing here is illegal. I don’t think that Mitch McConnell is alive... I don’t think he’s sentient.”McConnell, who previously served as Senate Republican Leader and was an overbearing presence in national politics, was rushed to the hospital weeks ago over what has been described as a cardiac arrest event. Aides insist McConnell is recovering but acknowledge he is a long way from returning to work.The bottom line, said Schmidt, is that “I don’t think Mitch McConnell’s walking out of the hospital.”Under Kentucky law, passed recently by Republicans, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear would not have any power to appoint an interim senator if McConnell passes away, and a special election would have to take place immediately.Beshear has faced calls from some Democratic activists to do more to demand proof of life from McConnell, but Schmidt pointed out people need to be realistic.The governor “can’t show up at the hospital and declare, ‘It’s I, Andy Beshear, governor of the Commonwealth, let me into the room.’ Right?” said Schmidt. “And by the way, Andy Beshear’s not in that political party that wants to be in your hospital room with you at the moment of birth, at the moment of death; that’s peering through the bedroom window.”

Republicans postpone Todd Blanche committee vote as questions swirl

The Senate Judiciary Committee is delaying the vote to advance Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, according to breaking news.Andrew Desiderio, the senior congressional reporter for Punchbowl News, shared the news on a post on X alongside a copy of a Senate Judiciary Committee agenda with Blanche's nomination on it. The copy also had the red letters "POSTPONED" across the top.The committee was initially scheduled to vote on Blanche's confirmation on Thursday, which is a key procedural hurdle the acting attorney general needs to cross before he is confirmed. The news comes after speculation swirls about whether Blanche will secure the job as President Donald Trump's attorney general, with some GOP senators leaving it uncertain how they'll vote. Blanche can't afford to lose even one GOP vote on the Judiciary Committee if every Democrat votes against him.Fox News chief congressional correspondent Chad Pergram wrote in a post on X that a spokesperson for Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Judiciary Committee chair, said, "Chairman Grassley works to set President Trump's nominees up for success in committee, not failure." The statement from Grassley's office mentioned Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who left it unclear whether they'll vote to advance Blanche."Senators Cornyn and Tillis want written assurances from the Department of Justice regarding the Trump-IRS settlement," according to the statement shared by Pergram. "Tomorrow’s markup is postponed as work continues to secure sufficient support in committee to favorably report Attorney General-nominee Todd Blanche, who is highly qualified for the job."

GOP Resistance Stiffens to Trump Attorney General Pick

Holdouts want “anti-weaponization fund” formally killed and changes to no-audits language before they will vote for Todd Blanche.

Contemptible: Rand Paul Schedules Vote to Hold Fifth Amendment-Loving Fauci Accountable