Cassidy will support Blanche, sealing confirmation to head Justice Department
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Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) announced Friday morning he will support Todd Blanche’s nomination to serve as attorney general, all but ensuring the controversial nominee will have the votes he needs to be confirmed.
“All considered, I will vote for Mr. Blanche,” Cassidy announced, and then added with a tone of resignation: “I will be criticized for this vote. What’s new?”
Cassidy said he wasn’t entirely happy with Blanche’s record as deputy attorney general and then acting attorney general.
But he argued that the Justice Department needs to have a Senate-confirmed leader and reasoned that President Trump could appoint an even more controversial nominee if Blanche’s nomination is defeated.
Cassidy was the last Republican senator to remain undecided on Blanche, keeping his colleagues in suspense for days about how he would vote.
On Friday, he revealed that answer to be yes, despite concerns he raised in recent weeks about Blanche’s willingness to serve as an effective check on Trump after previously serving as his personal defense attorney.
He said Blanche showed “poor judgment” in approving a settlement among Trump, his family, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to establish a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund and to exempt Trump and his family from future IRS audits over past tax returns.
But Cassidy noted that Blanche acknowledged “mistakes” and later testified that the anti-weaponization fund is dead and will remain so.
Cassidy’s support paves the way for Senate Republicans to advance his nomination Friday or over the weekend after they finish voting on a Russia sanctions bill, a stopgap measure to fund the government and a bipartisan bill to reform the rules for compensating college athletes.
The Louisiana senator announced his yes vote after two other centrist Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), announced they would oppose Blanche.
Collins and Murkowski voiced serious concerns about his ability to preserve the political independence of the Justice Department.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) needed Cassidy’s vote to advance Blanche because Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) remains absent from the Senate for a serious health issue.
If Cassidy had threatened to vote no, it could have put pressure on McConnell, who was discharged from a rehab facility this week, to make a quick return to the Senate to vote on Blanche — though he hasn’t said publicly whether he would support the nominee.
Without McConnell, Thune has an effective majority of only 52 seats.
All 47 members of the Senate Democratic caucus, including centrist Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), are expected to vote against Blanche.
Cassidy said he spoke with Blanche about a half dozen times and texted with him “many more times” in recent days about his confirmation and aired the concerns he had been harboring.
He also said he consulted with colleagues who opposed Blanche, such as Murkowski and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), as well as those who supported him, such as Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who secured a written commitment from the Justice Department not to establish the anti-weaponization fund.
Specifically, Cassidy said he was concerned about allegations of “lawfare” at the Justice Department, such as an effort to indict former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who gave damaging testimony about Trump in 2022 before a House special committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
“I’m particularly concerned about episodes of apparent lawfare, DOJ bringing suits against political enemies, both parties, presidents of both parties have been guilty of this. It must stop,” he said.
Cassidy made his announcement on the Senate floor shortly before senators are expected to vote on the controversial nominee, who advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a party-line vote Tuesday.
He and Murkowski met with Blanche in the basement of the Capitol on Wednesday to discuss their concerns with his nomination.
Cassidy later huddled with his staff on Thursday to mull his looming decision, telling reporters that he hadn’t yet decided how to vote.
Murkowski announced her opposition to Blanche early Friday morning in a press release, explaining that she did not feel confident that Blanche, Trump’s former personal criminal defense lawyer, would serve as an effective check on the president.
“The politicization—even weaponization—of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it,” she said in a statement.
“I take issue with the handling of the release of the Epstein files; the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, and their businesses; the statements that have been made to anti-abortion groups; and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. Senators,” she said, referring to the Justice Department’s effort to indict Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) for recording a video urging U.S. service members to disobey unlawful orders.
Collins announced her opposition to Blanche on Tuesday.
Collins called Blanche “a capable lawyer,” but she said the Department of Justice under his leadership has “become increasingly political.”
She argued that Blanche’s leadership has “further eroded the department’s independence” and noted that he approved the order to shield Trump, his sons and the Trump family business from IRS audits, protections “unavailable to other American taxpayers.”
She also pointed to Blanche’s role in approving the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund and his recent pledge to an anti-abortion organization that he would seek to prohibit the mailing of abortion medication to women nationwide.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) announced Friday morning he will support Todd Blanche’s nomination to serve as attorney general, all but ensuring the controversial nominee will have the…
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
Skip to content
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) announced Friday morning he will support Todd Blanche’s nomination to serve as attorney general, all but ensuring the controversial nominee will have the votes he needs to be confirmed.
“All considered, I will vote for Mr. Blanche,” Cassidy announced, and then added with a tone of resignation: “I will be criticized for this vote. What’s new?”
Cassidy said he wasn’t entirely happy with Blanche’s record as deputy attorney general and then acting attorney general.
But he argued that the Justice Department needs to have a Senate-confirmed leader and reasoned that President Trump could appoint an even more controversial nominee if Blanche’s nomination is defeated.
Cassidy was the last Republican senator to remain undecided on Blanche, keeping his colleagues in suspense for days about how he would vote.
On Friday, he revealed that answer to be yes, despite concerns he raised in recent weeks about Blanche’s willingness to serve as an effective check on Trump after previously serving as his personal defense attorney.
He said Blanche showed “poor judgment” in approving a settlement among Trump, his family, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to establish a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund and to exempt Trump and his family from future IRS audits over past tax returns.
But Cassidy noted that Blanche acknowledged “mistakes” and later testified that the anti-weaponization fund is dead and will remain so.
Cassidy’s support paves the way for Senate Republicans to advance his nomination Friday or over the weekend after they finish voting on a Russia sanctions bill, a stopgap measure to fund the government and a bipartisan bill to reform the rules for compensating college athletes.
The Louisiana senator announced his yes vote after two other centrist Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), announced they would oppose Blanche.
Collins and Murkowski voiced serious concerns about his ability to preserve the political independence of the Justice Department.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) needed Cassidy’s vote to advance Blanche because Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) remains absent from the Senate for a serious health issue.
If Cassidy had threatened to vote no, it could have put pressure on McConnell, who was discharged from a rehab facility this week, to make a quick return to the Senate to vote on Blanche — though he hasn’t said publicly whether he would support the nominee.
Without McConnell, Thune has an effective majority of only 52 seats.
All 47 members of the Senate Democratic caucus, including centrist Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), are expected to vote against Blanche.
Cassidy said he spoke with Blanche about a half dozen times and texted with him “many more times” in recent days about his confirmation and aired the concerns he had been harboring.
He also said he consulted with colleagues who opposed Blanche, such as Murkowski and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), as well as those who supported him, such as Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who secured a written commitment from the Justice Department not to establish the anti-weaponization fund.
Specifically, Cassidy said he was concerned about allegations of “lawfare” at the Justice Department, such as an effort to indict former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who gave damaging testimony about Trump in 2022 before a House special committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
“I’m particularly concerned about episodes of apparent lawfare, DOJ bringing suits against political enemies, both parties, presidents of both parties have been guilty of this. It must stop,” he said.
Cassidy made his announcement on the Senate floor shortly before senators are expected to vote on the controversial nominee, who advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a party-line vote Tuesday.
He and Murkowski met with Blanche in the basement of the Capitol on Wednesday to discuss their concerns with his nomination.
Cassidy later huddled with his staff on Thursday to mull his looming decision, telling reporters that he hadn’t yet decided how to vote.
Murkowski announced her opposition to Blanche early Friday morning in a press release, explaining that she did not feel confident that Blanche, Trump’s former personal criminal defense lawyer, would serve as an effective check on the president.
“The politicization—even weaponization—of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it,” she said in a statement.
“I take issue with the handling of the release of the Epstein files; the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, and their businesses; the statements that have been made to anti-abortion groups; and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. Senators,” she said, referring to the Justice Department’s effort to indict Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) for recording a video urging U.S. service members to disobey unlawful orders.
Collins announced her opposition to Blanche on Tuesday.
Collins called Blanche “a capable lawyer,” but she said the Department of Justice under his leadership has “become increasingly political.”
She argued that Blanche’s leadership has “further eroded the department’s independence” and noted that he approved the order to shield Trump, his sons and the Trump family business from IRS audits, protections “unavailable to other American taxpayers.”
She also pointed to Blanche’s role in approving the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund and his recent pledge to an anti-abortion organization that he would seek to prohibit the mailing of abortion medication to women nationwide.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
Skip to content
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) announced Friday morning he will support Todd Blanche’s nomination to serve as attorney general, all but ensuring the controversial nominee will have the votes he needs to be confirmed.
“All considered, I will vote for Mr. Blanche,” Cassidy announced, and then added with a tone of resignation: “I will be criticized for this vote. What’s new?”
Cassidy said he wasn’t entirely happy with Blanche’s record as deputy attorney general and then acting attorney general.
But he argued that the Justice Department needs to have a Senate-confirmed leader and reasoned that President Trump could appoint an even more controversial nominee if Blanche’s nomination is defeated.
Cassidy was the last Republican senator to remain undecided on Blanche, keeping his colleagues in suspense for days about how he would vote.
On Friday, he revealed that answer to be yes, despite concerns he raised in recent weeks about Blanche’s willingness to serve as an effective check on Trump after previously serving as his personal defense attorney.
He said Blanche showed “poor judgment” in approving a settlement among Trump, his family, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to establish a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund and to exempt Trump and his family from future IRS audits over past tax returns.
But Cassidy noted that Blanche acknowledged “mistakes” and later testified that the anti-weaponization fund is dead and will remain so.
Cassidy’s support paves the way for Senate Republicans to advance his nomination Friday or over the weekend after they finish voting on a Russia sanctions bill, a stopgap measure to fund the government and a bipartisan bill to reform the rules for compensating college athletes.
The Louisiana senator announced his yes vote after two other centrist Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), announced they would oppose Blanche.
Collins and Murkowski voiced serious concerns about his ability to preserve the political independence of the Justice Department.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) needed Cassidy’s vote to advance Blanche because Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) remains absent from the Senate for a serious health issue.
If Cassidy had threatened to vote no, it could have put pressure on McConnell, who was discharged from a rehab facility this week, to make a quick return to the Senate to vote on Blanche — though he hasn’t said publicly whether he would support the nominee.
Without McConnell, Thune has an effective majority of only 52 seats.
All 47 members of the Senate Democratic caucus, including centrist Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), are expected to vote against Blanche.
Cassidy said he spoke with Blanche about a half dozen times and texted with him “many more times” in recent days about his confirmation and aired the concerns he had been harboring.
He also said he consulted with colleagues who opposed Blanche, such as Murkowski and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), as well as those who supported him, such as Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who secured a written commitment from the Justice Department not to establish the anti-weaponization fund.
Specifically, Cassidy said he was concerned about allegations of “lawfare” at the Justice Department, such as an effort to indict former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who gave damaging testimony about Trump in 2022 before a House special committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
“I’m particularly concerned about episodes of apparent lawfare, DOJ bringing suits against political enemies, both parties, presidents of both parties have been guilty of this. It must stop,” he said.
Cassidy made his announcement on the Senate floor shortly before senators are expected to vote on the controversial nominee, who advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a party-line vote Tuesday.
He and Murkowski met with Blanche in the basement of the Capitol on Wednesday to discuss their concerns with his nomination.
Cassidy later huddled with his staff on Thursday to mull his looming decision, telling reporters that he hadn’t yet decided how to vote.
Murkowski announced her opposition to Blanche early Friday morning in a press release, explaining that she did not feel confident that Blanche, Trump’s former personal criminal defense lawyer, would serve as an effective check on the president.
“The politicization—even weaponization—of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it,” she said in a statement.
“I take issue with the handling of the release of the Epstein files; the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, and their businesses; the statements that have been made to anti-abortion groups; and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. Senators,” she said, referring to the Justice Department’s effort to indict Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) for recording a video urging U.S. service members to disobey unlawful orders.
Collins announced her opposition to Blanche on Tuesday.
Collins called Blanche “a capable lawyer,” but she said the Department of Justice under his leadership has “become increasingly political.”
She argued that Blanche’s leadership has “further eroded the department’s independence” and noted that he approved the order to shield Trump, his sons and the Trump family business from IRS audits, protections “unavailable to other American taxpayers.”
She also pointed to Blanche’s role in approving the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund and his recent pledge to an anti-abortion organization that he would seek to prohibit the mailing of abortion medication to women nationwide.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at The Hill ↗
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
- Bill Cassidy (R-La.) announced Friday morning he will support Todd Blanche’s nomination to serve as attorney general, all but ensuring the controversial nominee will have the…