Todd Blanche Confirmed as Attorney General

<span style="color: rgb(201, 1, 16);">LATEST</span>: Todd Blanche Confirmed As Attorney General After Testy Confirmation Process

Trump loyalist Todd Blanche confirmed by Senate as US attorney general

Major win for president as former personal lawyer wins approval despite outcry over $1.8bn slush fundThe US Senate voted to narrowly confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general in a major win for Donald Trump, who will now have his one-time personal attorney sitting atop the nation’s law enforcement apparatus.Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana cast the deciding vote in Blanche’s favor after two other Republicans – Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska – voted against him. Every Democrat rejected Blanche’s nomination as the Republican-led Senate voted 50-49. Continue reading...

Senate Confirms Todd Blanche As Attorney General Despite All His Corruption

He’s overseen criminal cases against Trump’s political enemies and cut a sham “settlement” saving the president millions. Republicans confirmed him anyway.

Senate confirms Todd Blanche as attorney general

The Senate voted to confirm Todd Blanche as the next attorney general early Saturday, capping a tumultuous path to office for President Trump's former personal attorney.The big picture: Blanche's appointment is a win for the Trump administration, especially after a journey that saw some Republicans hold out at multiple stages of the process.At one point Trump threatened to keep him as acting attorney general for months, after two GOP senators withheld their votes to advance him from the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) both eventually supported Blanche's advancement after Blanche confirmed that a controversial $1.776 billion fund to pay out perceived victims of political weaponization was dead.Driving the news: The pre-dawn vote was split 50-49, mostly along party lines. Every Democratic member present voted against the Trump nominee, joined by GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine). Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was not present amid a lengthy health-related absence.Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) was broadly seen as Democrats' best shot at blocking Blanche's nomination, but he announced Friday that he'd vote in favor of the president's former personal attorney.Blanche has been serving in the role in an acting capacity since this spring.State of play: Blanche will now formally take over the post held by Pam Bondi before she was pushed out. With Blanche as acting attorney general, the DOJ has continued its unconventionally close alignment with the White House, renewing attempts to prosecute individuals in line with the president's wishes.Friction point: While Blanche won over Republican defectors on the controversial fund, he's continued to face sharp criticism from survivors of Jeffrey Epstein — stemming from another controversy that threatened to derail his nomination.Tillis had given Blanche another mandate to earn his vote: meeting with Epstein victims. Blanche did so, but multiple survivors publicly panned the meeting as demoralizing and unproductive.The bottom line: Not much changes with "acting" dropped from Blanche's title. But his confirmation represents the official start of an aggressive new era for the DOJ.Go deeper: Blanche poised for confirmation vote after he kills Trump's fund

Todd Blanche narrowly confirmed as Trump's attorney general in overnight vote

The Republican-led Senate voted 50-49 to make Blanche the second confirmed attorney general since Trump returned to the White House last year with a stated desire to use the law enforcement agency to investigate his political enemies.

Todd Blanche confirmed by Senate as attorney general

The Senate on Saturday approved acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to permanently lead the Department of Justice after a high-drama confirmation process.  The 50-49 vote to confirm Blanche fell mostly along party lines, with two Republicans breaking ranks to oppose him. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska cited concerns ranging from […]

Senate confirms Todd Blanche as attorney general after bruising fight

The Senate early Saturday morning confirmed Todd Blanche as the next attorney general, with the nominee narrowly securing sufficient GOP backing after making a number of promises about how he would handle his tenure as the country’s top law enforcement officer. The vote was 50-49. "I am deeply honored by the trust and confidence President [...]

Senate confirms Todd Blanche as attorney general before August break

The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as President Donald Trump’s attorney general in the early morning hours Saturday, one of its final votes before leaving for the August recess. The 50-49 vote fell largely along party lines, with two Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME), joining Democrats in opposing Blanche’s nomination. The outcome […]

Senate Confirms Todd Blanche As Attorney General In Razor Thin, Late-Night Vote

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was narrowly confirmed by the Senate on Saturday to officially serve in the role, clearing a vote that divided the Republican Party.  The Senate voted 50 to 49, with two Republicans — Sen. Susan Collins (ME) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK) — siding with Democrats to oppose to Blanche’s nomination. ...