Alaska's moderate Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski announced on Friday that she will not vote for Donald Trump’s nomination of Todd Blanche as US Attorney General. This decision further narrows the path for Blanche's official confirmation to the post.
Murkowski stated her concerns that the Trump administration could proceed with a proposed fund to compensate rioters involved in the January 6 US Capitol invasion. This stance was taken despite Blanche having confirmed in writing that the controversial fund was no longer active.
Earlier this week, Blanche secured a 12-10 vote in his favour from the Senate judiciary committee after promising Republican holdouts he would not pursue the payout fund. He had issued a formal order on Sunday terminating Trump’s $1.8bn “anti-weaponization” fund, which was intended to compensate political allies, including those prosecuted for the January 6 events.
Murkowski posted on X on Friday, stating that while she praised Blanche, she would ultimately oppose his nomination. She wrote, “The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration. I hope Mr Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”
Republicans currently hold a 53-47 Senate majority. However, with Mitch McConnell not attending sessions due to health, the GOP has limited room to lose senators and still confirm the president’s pick.