The Senate Judiciary Committee will try a do-over on voting to advance Todd Blanche, President Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, with a committee vote scheduled for Tuesday.
Mr. Blanche was supposed to face a vote last Thursday but it had to be postponed because of reluctance by several GOP senators to back him.
If he can clear committee this time around, it should give the full Senate enough time to confirm him to the post before the chamber departs for its summer vacation.
Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley’s office said that’s the goal — and said it’s up to Mr. Trump to get Mr. Blanche over the finish line.
“Chairman Grassley wants Todd Blanche’s nomination to be successful. Noticing the markup gives more time for the White House to secure the votes for the president’s nominee,” the chairman’s spokesperson said.
Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, both Republican members of the committee, would not commit to backing Mr. Blanche until he secures changes to the settlement he struck with Mr. Trump ending the president’s lawsuit against the IRS.
The settlement included immunity from prosecution for past tax malfeasance by Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization, and it included creation of a $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund to compensate victims of overzealous prosecution by the Biden administration.
After an outcry from both Democrats and Republicans, Mr. Blanche said the Justice Department would not follow through on the weaponization fund. He also said the grant of immunity is fairly limited.
Mr. Cornyn demanded changes to the settlement to memorialize those limits to the immunity deal, and to officially eradicate the fund, preventing Mr. Trump or others from trying to revive it later.
Senators said Mr. Blanche was willing to cooperate, but Mr. Trump has been the roadblock.
All Democrats on the committee are expected to oppose Mr. Blanche, so all Republicans will need to support him if he is to clear the panel.
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