Todd Blanche moved one step closer to becoming the nation's next attorney general Tuesday after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to advance his nomination.
Blanche, who is serving as acting attorney general, was nominated by President Donald Trump after he fired Pam Bondi.
Blanche's nomination appeared in jeopardy after Republican Sens. Thom Tillis and John Cornyn raised concerns about a proposed $1.8 billion settlement that would have compensated people who said they were wrongfully targeted by the federal government. Lawmakers feared the fund could benefit Trump allies, including people convicted of assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
The senators ultimately backed Blanche after he assured them the settlement would not move forward. Blanche also said a proposal to limit retroactive IRS audits involving Trump and his family would not shield the president from scrutiny of future tax filings.
No Democrats on the committee voted to advance Blanche's nomination. Many have raised concerns about his previous role as Trump's personal attorney before joining the Justice Department.
The full Senate has not yet scheduled a confirmation vote.
