Blanche nomination at risk of delay as senator seeks assurances on Trump settlement - AP News

What the report says

The Associated Press reported that Todd Blanche’s nomination to become U.S. attorney general stalled Wednesday after the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a planned vote to advance him to the full Senate. The delay followed resistance from Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, whose support is important because GOP defections on the committee could jeopardize the nomination.

According to AP, the dispute centers on the Justice Department’s settlement of President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over his leaked tax returns. The settlement included protection for Trump and family members from tax audits and had also included a proposed $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” for people who said they were wronged by the Justice Department. The department said in June it would not proceed with the fund, but officials have said the audit-immunity portion remains in effect.

Cornyn and Tillis have sought written assurances that the fund will not be revived, as well as clarification that any tax-audit protection applies only to existing audits rather than future filings. AP reported that Justice Department officials sent revised language Wednesday evening in an attempt to address the senators’ concerns. After the postponement, the department said it would keep working with senators.

Trump defended Blanche, his former personal attorney, and suggested Cornyn’s position might be tied to Trump’s decision not to endorse him in the Texas Republican Senate primary. The settlement has drawn scrutiny in Congress and court, including from a judge who questioned Blanche’s role in signing it given his prior representation of Trump.