Susan Collins to oppose Todd Blanche nomination for attorney general
Senator Susan collins (R-ME) has decided to oppose Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general, potentially affecting his confirmation vote in teh Senate, where Republicans can only afford to lose two votes. collins cited concerns over the politicization of the Department of Justice, pointing to actions such as the creation of a now-defunct “anti-weaponization” fund and a settlement protecting Donald Trump from IRS audits. Her opposition also references Blanche’s past actions and potential policies, including cracking down on mailing abortion pills and the DOJ’s recent prosecutions of certain senators.Collins’s vote is notable as she seeks re-election in a competitive race and is known as a swing vote on controversial nominations. Her decision followed extensive discussions with other senators and highlights ongoing debates over the department’s independence and the nominee’s loyalty to Trump.All Democrats are expected to oppose Blanche, with some Republican colleagues undecided or publicly noncommittal.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) will vote “no” on Todd Blanche‘s nomination for attorney general, narrowing his path to confirmation in a chamber where Republicans can only afford to lose two GOP votes.
Collins announced her decision the same day Blanche narrowly advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. She is running for reelection in a highly competitive Senate race and has long been a swing vote on controversial nominations.
Recommended Stories
“While I believe Mr. Blanche is a capable lawyer, the Department of Justice has become increasingly political,” Collins said in a statement. “Mr. Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the Department’s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation.”
She cited the Justice Department’s creation of a since-scrapped “anti-weaponization” fund and the May settlement that protected President Donald Trump and his family from IRS tax audits. Her announcement means only one other Republican can oppose Blanche’s nomination on the Senate floor due to Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) absence.
One undecided senator, John Curtis (R-UT), announced he’d vote “yes” on Tuesday, but Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) are publicly noncommittal. All Democrats are expected to oppose Blanche, accusing him of being blindingly loyal to the president.
Blanche is Trump’s ex-personal attorney and was previously confirmed to the role of deputy attorney general. He became acting attorney general after Pam Bondi stepped down in April.
Collins’s announcement comes after she spoke “at length” with Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) on Tuesday night.
“In her typical due diligence, she asked me a lot of questions,” said Cornyn, who held up Blanche’s nomination in the Judiciary Committee until he got the DOJ to submit in writing that the anti-weaponization fund was dead and that there were limits to the tax immunity deal.
DURBIN ACCUSES TODD BLANCHE OF LYING UNDER OATH TO AVOID ‘OFFENDING’ TRUMP
In her statement, Collins also based her vote on the DOJ’s attempted prosecution of Sens. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) over their video encouraging service members to disobey unlawful orders. She also referenced reporting that Blanche would be cracking down on the mailing of abortion pills.
Collins, who is running for a sixth term in November, is the rare Republican to support women’s access to abortion.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
