Blanche Clears Judiciary Committee in Party-Line Vote

The Judiciary Committee vote followed a weekend compromise between Blanche and two holdout Republican senators, John Cornyn and Thom Tillis. Blanche issued directives to shutter the president's so-called "anti-weaponization" fund and limit a tax immunity agreement to past returns. While Cornyn and Tillis accepted these terms as a path toward departmental stability, opponents labeled the arrangement a farce. Senator Cory Booker dismissed the deal as insufficient, arguing it provides no binding guarantee against the fund’s revival or future tax accountability for the president and his family business.

Democratic leaders, including Senator Dick Durbin, remain deeply skeptical. Durbin alleged that Blanche committed perjury during his testimony and warned that the fund could be reinstated immediately following a confirmation. Because the original settlement requires approval from all involved parties, the absence of a signature from the president’s personal legal team leaves the status of the fund legally precarious. Meanwhile, advocacy group Democracy Forward continues to push for a permanent, codified cancellation of the program. As the nomination moves to a full Senate vote, Blanche’s tenure remains defined by the tension between his efforts to appease Republican skeptics and broader concerns regarding the independence of the Justice Department.