‘Withdraw Immediately’: Blanche Confirmation Process Delayed Over Trump IRS Audit Shield

This article was originally published in Common Dreams under Creative Commons 3.0 license. Read the original article. Contact: editor@commondreams.org

By Jake Johnson

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday delayed its planned vote to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination as US attorney general as the Justice Department—which he currently leads in an acting capacity—refused to commit to kill elements of a legal deal that he reached to settle President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chair of the judiciary panel, announced that the scheduled Thursday vote on Blanche’s nomination was “postponed as work continues to secure sufficient support in committee.” Two key Republicans, John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, are demanding written commitments from Blanche that the Justice Department will not move forward with a $1.8 billion “slush fund” for Trump’s political allies and will limit the reach of IRS audit protections for the Trump family—central elements of the IRS settlement.

Cornyn and Tillis appeared convinced that the so-called “anti-weaponization fund” was dead and would not be revived, but the senators expressed concern that Blanche is committed to upholding provisions of the IRS settlement that would permanently insulate Trump and his family members from tax audits. The New York Times reported that Cornyn, who lost reelection in May to corrupt Trump-backed challenger Ken Paxton, “had received no written assurances from Mr. Blanche that the audit shield would not apply to future tax liabilities or be extended to a wider circle of people.”

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“Maybe they think they can roll me,” Cornyn told CNN, expressing astonishment at the Justice Department’s foot-dragging. “We actually sent them a red line strikeout of what we need, and they just need to make a decision, and if they do, then we’ll proceed with the markup.”

“We’re trying to make it easy for them,” the senator added. “They won’t take the help.”

Blanche’s nomination has faced widespread opposition—including from the New York City Bar Association—over his handling of the Epstein files, treatment of the late sex offender’s victims, and willingness to target the president’s political opponents and carry out his assault on voting rights. (Blanche previously worked as Trump’s personal attorney and said, “I’m his lawyer,” during a confirmation hearing earlier this month.)

Omar Noureldin, senior vice president of policy and litigation at Common Cause, said in a statement late Wednesday that “Blanche had months to deliver on the demands both senators and the people have had of him, and he has failed, proving he only serves President Trump.”

“Blanche should show humility and withdraw immediately,” said Noureldin.

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