Now Reading: Todd Blanche confirmed as US Attorney General in narrow 50-49 vote
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Todd Blanche confirmed as US Attorney General in narrow 50-49 vote
Todd Blanche confirmed as US Attorney General in narrow 50-49 vote
The US Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as Attorney General in a 50-49 vote early Saturday, putting President Donald Trump's former personal attorney in charge of the Justice Department. All Democrats and two…
The Story in Brief
The US Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as Attorney General in a 50-49 vote early Saturday, putting President Donald Trump's former personal attorney in charge of the Justice Department. All Democrats and two Republicans, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, opposed the nomination over fears that the department would lose independence from the White House.
Blanche had been serving in an acting capacity since Pam Bondi's dismissal in April. His confirmation was held up by Republican concerns about a proposed $1.8 billion 'Anti-Weaponisation Fund' in a legal settlement that would compensate people claiming government mistreatment, including Jan 6 defendants. Blanche pledged to scrap the fund and restrict tax audit immunity for Trump. On Monday, Trump said the fund's future is now up to Blanche.
The Indian Opinion
The narrow confirmation shows America is as divided on Trump's justice agenda as it was on his first term. One side calls the weaponisation fund a slush for loyalists; the other says independent prosecutions are dead. Both have a point. Blanche's written pledge to drop the fund is a test, will he actually do it, or will the department find workarounds? Watch the Comey indictment and the Florida probe to see if the rule of law holds.
Sources (2): english.mathrubhumi.com, deccanherald.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
