Senate panel set to advance Blanche's attorney general nomination

Key Points:

• The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on advancing acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination after he secured support from GOP Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis through written assurances regarding the settlement of Donald Trump’s IRS lawsuit.
• Cornyn and Tillis demanded confirmation that the Justice Department is not moving forward with a $1.8 billion fund intended to compensate Trump allies claiming political prosecution; Blanche issued an order stating no such fund exists and no related claims have been processed or paid.
• The Justice Department clarified that tax audit immunity granted to Trump and his family applies only to claims open at the time of the settlement and does not protect future tax filings, covering only the lawsuit parties: Trump, his two sons, and the Trump Organization.
• Democrats criticized Blanche’s order for not permanently preventing the fund’s revival or blocking compensation to Trump allies through other claims processes, including those involved in the January 6 Capitol attack.
• Blanche faces scrutiny over his independence from the White House, the Justice Department’s pursuit of Trump’s political opponents, and controversial actions such as indicting former FBI Director James Comey on politically charged grounds, raising concerns about the department’s impartiality.