Senator Chuck Grassley says it was common sense for two of his Republican colleagues to insist on written assurances that a proposed $1.776 billion fund for victims of Justice Department “weaponization” has been abandoned. That development has led to today’s vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Todd Blanche, President Trump’s pick to be U.S. Attorney General.
“I don’t think it should have taken as long as it did to get it resolved and I don’t have any way of knowing exactly everybody that was involved in it,” Grassley said this morning after he convened today’s committee meeting, “but it’s just a crime that it took so long to work out with such a common sense thing that’s pretty simple.”
Grassley, who is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, cancelled last week’s committee vote on Blanche’s nomination because of the impasse over the fund. “I was probably a little late getting involved in this issue,” Grassley said this morning, “and when I got involved in it I thought to myself: ‘It’s just common sense what Tillis and Cornyn are asking from the executive branch of government.'”
Last week President Trump suggested he might withdraw Blanche’s nomination and resubmit it to the senate next year due to the objections from North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis and Texas Senator John Cornyn, who will be leaving the Senate when their terms end 152 days from now. Grassley thanked the two senators today. “Their concerns about the anti-weaponization fund and the IRS settlement were shared by many, including this senator,” Grassley said. “I’m grateful that they, as well as Mr. Blanche and the White House worked in good faith to solve them, formally rescinding the fund, clarifying the scope of release of claims has put this issue to bed once and for all.”
Grassley concluded his opening speech by saying Blanche has had a successful anti-crime track record over the past four months while he’s been acting attorney general and should be confirmed by the senate. “Today, I’m not only voting to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination,” Grassley said. “I’m voting for the safety of the American people.”
The 12 Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance Blanche’s nomination this morning. The 10 Democrats on the panel voted against the nomination. Republicans hope to hold a vote in the full Senate on Blanche’s nomination by the end of the week. Democrats oppose Blanche’s nomination and have called for legislation to ensure Blanche does not revive the anti-weaponization fund after he gets the job permanently.
(This post was updated at 10:10 a.m. after the Senate Judiciary Committee vote on Blanche’s nomination)