Cassidy backs Blanche for Justice Department as Senate fight intensifies

Sen. Bill Cassidy said Friday he will vote for Todd Blanche to serve as attorney general, a fresh Republican endorsement for President Donald Trump’s pick as the Senate fight over the Justice Department intensified. Cassidy’s support came as Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she would oppose Blanche’s nomination, narrowing the confirmation path further.

Blanche cleared a key hurdle Tuesday, Aug. 4, when the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced his nomination on a 12-10 party-line vote after he struck a deal with GOP holdouts. The concession centered on rescinding a nearly $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund that had been part of a Justice Department settlement.

The dispute has become a test of how far Senate Republicans are willing to go in backing a nominee who has raised alarms about the independence of the Justice Department. The fund was tied to a settlement ending a $10 billion lawsuit by Donald Trump against the Internal Revenue Service over the leaking of his tax returns, a link that deepened criticism from Democrats and some Republicans.

Cassidy’s decision adds to a string of GOP moves that have kept Blanche’s nomination alive. Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina backed advancing the nomination after receiving assurances from Blanche. Two other Republicans, John Curtis of Utah and Jon Husted of Ohio, also committed to supporting him before the committee vote.

The resistance, however, has not gone away. Susan Collins of Maine said she would vote against Blanche’s confirmation, citing concerns that the Trump administration could still proceed with the proposed fund. Murkowski’s announcement on Friday added another Republican no vote and sharpened the pressure on leadership as it tries to line up support for a nominee who has become a proxy fight over DOJ independence and party discipline.

Cassidy’s move is especially notable because it places a senior Republican from Louisiana on the pro-Blanche side at a moment when moderates in the conference are weighing whether to break with the White House or accept a nominee after receiving assurances. With the Judiciary Committee already behind Blanche, the remaining battle now shifts to the full Senate, where each Republican defection makes the final path harder.