WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday postponed a planned vote on President Donald Trump's nomination of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to serve permanently as the nation's top law enforcement official after key Republican senators withheld their support over concerns about a Justice Department settlement involving Trump, according to committee officials and lawmakers.
Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley delayed the vote as negotiations continued with Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, whose opposition prevented the nomination from advancing in the closely divided panel.
Cornyn and Tillis have sought written assurances that the Justice Department has permanently abandoned a proposed $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" tied to the settlement of Trump's lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. They have also raised concerns about provisions related to tax audit protections for Trump and associated parties.
Blanche, who previously served as Trump's personal defense lawyer and is currently acting attorney general, told senators during his confirmation process that the department would not pursue the proposed fund. However, Cornyn said he wanted those commitments formally documented before backing the nomination.
The Justice Department has continued discussions with senators in an effort to address their concerns, but no agreement had been announced by the time the committee postponed the vote. Democrats are widely expected to oppose Blanche's nomination, making Republican support critical for advancing it through committee.
No new date for the committee vote was immediately announced, and negotiations were continuing as of publication.
