{"id":2642427,"date":"2026-08-09T16:43:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T20:43:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-cassidy-defends-decision-to-back-blanche-as-attorney-general\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T16:43:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T20:43:44","slug":"bill-cassidy-defends-decision-to-back-blanche-as-attorney-general","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bill-cassidy-defends-decision-to-back-blanche-as-attorney-general\/","title":{"rendered":"Bill Cassidy defends decision to back Blanche as attorney general"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbill-cassidy-defends-decision-to-back-blanche-as-attorney-general%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2642427&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana defended his decision to support Todd Blanche&#8217;s confirmation as attorney general, despite reservations about some aspects of the nomination. cassidy emphasized that the choice was complex, describing the decision as a &#8220;gradation of gray&#8221; rather than clear-cut.he relied on trusted legal opinions, notably from Senator John Cornyn, regarding the status of the &#8220;anti-weaponization&#8221; fund-part of a controversial DOJ settlement involving former President Trump-and expressed concern over legal immunities granted to Trump and associates.<\/p>\n<p>Cassidy highlighted positive feedback from Louisiana U.S. attorneys about Blanche\u2019s leadership, wich influenced his Senate floor discussions and ultimately led him to support the nomination. He acknowledged Blanche&#8217;s imperfections but believed he was a preferable choice over other potential nominees who might have been less effective or qualified.<\/p>\n<p>The Senate narrowly confirmed Blanche as attorney general with a 50-49 vote, with only Senator Mitch McConnell absent.Cassidy&#8217;s support marked a notable moment given his complicated relationship with Trump, especially after Cassidys&#8217; vote to impeach Trump in 2021 and his subsequent loss in the Republican primary to a Trump-backed candidate.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bill-cassidy\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"2103\">Bill Cassidy<\/a> (R-LA), whose vote proved crucial in confirming the president\u2019s nominee for attorney general, defended his decision to back <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/todd-blanche\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"20883\">Todd Blanche<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf you\u2019re looking for a black or white decision here, you\u2019re not going to find it. This is a gradation of gray,\u201d he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/bill-cassidy-louisiana-republican-face-the-nation-transcript-08-09-2026\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/bill-cassidy-louisiana-republican-face-the-nation-transcript-08-09-2026\/\">said<\/a> in a Sunday interview with CBS News host Margaret Brennan on <em>Face the Nation<\/em>.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4680504\/bill-cassidy-vote-todd-blanche-attorney-general\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Sen. Bill Cassidy defends \u2018gradation of gray\u2019 decision to back Blanche as attorney general<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4679435\/religious-liberty-trump-biden\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Two visions of religious liberty: How Trump and Biden defined a foundational right<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4680142\/hunter-biden-pardon-not-good-father-legacy\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Hunter Biden admits pardon was \u2018not good\u2019 for the American people or his father\u2019s legacy<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sens. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lisa-murkowski\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"2303\">Lisa Murkowski<\/a> (R-AK) and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/susan-collins\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"1302\">Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME) were the only Republicans who voted \u201cno\u201d to Blanche\u2019s confirmation. If there were any more, Blanche\u2019s nomination would have been sunk.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sens. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-cornyn\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"965\">John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX) and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/thom-tillis\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"973\">Thom Tillis<\/a> (R-NC) previously expressed concern over Blanche\u2019s nomination, but the two senators were eventually won over after the acting attorney general rescinded the $1.776 billion \u201canti-weaponization\u201d fund.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fund was part of a controversial settlement between the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"438\">Department of Justice<\/a> and President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a>, who sued the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/internal-revenue-service\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"2339\">IRS<\/a> over his leaked tax returns. The settlement also protected Trump, his family, and business associates from tax audits.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cassidy said he trusted the conclusion of Cornyn, a former Texas attorney general, that the process to reinstate the anti-weaponization \u201ceffectively is dead.\u201d Cassidy noted that because he is not an attorney, he had to rely on others to understand the legal questions surrounding the fund.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m relying on others that are bringing me information, and I have to trust them on that,\u201d Cassidy said. \u201cNot everything, but some of that, and I trust John on that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the Louisiana Republican is not sold on the agreement that provides Trump and others immunity from IRS tax investigations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat is wrong, and no American should be targeted by the law, but no American should be above the law, and that, frankly, almost weighed to vote no,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But there were positive aspects that convinced Cassidy to vote for Blanche.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe attorney general is supposed to give advice to the president, supposed to run the Department of Justice, and is supposed to make sure that the U.S. attorneys nationwide are doing their job. It really weighs strongly in his favor when I speak to my U.S. attorneys in Louisiana\u201d who spoke highly of their interactions with the DOJ under Blanche\u2019s leadership, Cassidy said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his Friday speech on the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"8765\">Senate<\/a> floor, Cassidy revealed he spoke with Blanche \u201cfive or six times\u201d and said he was particularly swayed by the counsel of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bill-barr\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"13109\">Bill Barr<\/a>, who served as attorney general during Trump\u2019s first term.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite his reservations about Blanche, Cassidy believed the new DOJ head would be a better nominee than others Trump might have chosen for the post.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this,\u201d Cassidy said. \u201cBut the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4679054\/bill-cassidy-todd-blanche-nomination-attorney-general\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4679054\/bill-cassidy-todd-blanche-nomination-attorney-general\/\">BILL CASSIDY TO SUPPORT TODD BLANCHE NOMINATION FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL, PAVING WAY FOR CONFIRMATION<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blanche was ultimately confirmed as attorney general in a narrow 50-49 vote early Saturday. Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mitch-mcconnell\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"436\">Mitch McConnell<\/a> (R-KY), who remains on an extended medical leave, was the only member absent for voting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cassidy has had a rocky relationship with Trump ever since the senator voted to convict the president for impeachment in 2021. In May, he lost the Republican primary for his seat to the Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cassidy defends gray-area vote for attorney general nomination<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2159,"featured_media":2642428,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26220030781880.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[32116,25914,6677,5894],"class_list":["post-2642427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-attorney-general","tag-blanche","tag-cassidy","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26220030781880.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2642427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2159"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2642427"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2642427\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2642430,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2642427\/revisions\/2642430"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2642428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2642427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2642427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2642427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}