Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) announced an agreement with the Justice Department that facilitates the confirmation of Todd Blanche as President Donald Trump's attorney general before the upcoming August recess. The deal, revealed in a statement by Cornyn, involves the formal termination of the president's "anti-weaponization" fund and clarifies Blanche's testimony regarding the limitations of Trump's immunity from tax audits.
This agreement follows a May settlement by the Justice Department that had drawn criticism from some lawmakers. Cornyn and Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), both members of the Judiciary Committee, had previously withheld their votes on Blanche's nomination pending written confirmation of the administration's adherence to Blanche's testimony.
Cornyn's spokeswoman, Natalie Yezbick, stated that the Justice Department will issue a formal order to permanently terminate the anti-weaponization fund, ensuring that the audit settlement applies only to the plaintiffs, including the President and the IRS. Blanche also confirmed in a letter that the fund would not proceed, addressing concerns that it could be used to compensate defendants from the January 6 events.
President Trump indicated that he might reconsider the fund if Blanche's nomination does not go through. The agreement allows Blanche's nomination to move forward in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which had postponed a vote earlier but has scheduled a new meeting for Tuesday. The Senate is expected to recess at the end of the week, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) expressing interest in holding a vote if Blanche's nomination is advanced on Tuesday.