Todd Blanche's prospects of becoming the permanent US Attorney General appear to be in doubt after the Department of Justice did not provide written assurances to a Republican senator concerning a $1.8bn fund.
The US Senate judiciary committee is set to vote on Thursday on whether to advance Blanche’s nomination. Blanche, currently serving as acting US Attorney General, requires the support of every Republican on the committee to secure the permanent role.
Senator John Cornyn of Texas, a swing vote on the committee, stated on Wednesday that he would not back Blanche’s nomination without written confirmation that the fund would not proceed. Cornyn also seeks clarification that a provision granting the president, his sons, and related businesses immunity from tax audits for matters up to this year cannot be applied to future matters or non-parties to the settlement.
The $1.8bn fund was established as part of an agreement to resolve a $10bn lawsuit filed by former President Trump against the IRS. Although Blanche announced in June that the department was scrapping the fund, he has reportedly declined to provide this in writing. During his confirmation hearing, Blanche acknowledged that Trump or other plaintiffs could attempt to enforce the settlement agreement and did not confirm the tax immunity provision was dead.