- US President Donald Trump says he is considering withdrawing Todd Blanche's nomination to be attorney general as his confirmation appears stalled in the Senate.
- On Thursday, Blanche met with the two senators but it is unclear if they came to an agreement.
- The two senators who are withholding their support - John Cornyn from Texas and Thom Tillis from North Carolina - now want Blanche to state in writing that the justice department will not resurrect the fund later on.
- "The only logical conclusion I can draw from this setback is that, in fact, there is somebody who wants to enable [the fund] at the right time," said Tillis, adding that this was "unacceptable".
Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis are withholding their support for Todd Blanche's nomination as attorney general, leading President Trump to consider withdrawing the nomination. Blanche, who has served as acting attorney general since April, requires unanimous backing from the Senate Judiciary Committee to proceed.1234
Trump stated, "I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd's name, if they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office," indicating his frustration with the stalled confirmation process. The two senators demand that Blanche clarify in writing that the Justice Department will not revive a controversial $1.8 billion fund linked to a lawsuit Trump filed against the IRS over leaked tax returns.
Tillis expressed his concerns, stating, "The only logical conclusion I can draw from this setback is that, in fact, there is somebody who wants to enable [the fund] at the right time," and labeled the situation as "unacceptable." Blanche's meeting with Cornyn and Tillis on Thursday did not yield a resolution, leaving his nomination in jeopardy as both senators' terms expire in January.
“Senators Cornyn and Tillis are demanding that Todd Blanche provide written assurance that the justice department will not revive a controversial fund. Following a recent meeting, Tillis expressed concerns, stating, "The only logical conclusion I can draw from this setback is that, in fact, there is somebody who wants to enable [the fund] at the right time."”
BBC
