Senate votes to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general
The US Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general in a narrow 50-49 vote. The confirmation followed a contentious process involving concerns over the Department of Justice's recent policies and the Anti-Weaponization Fund.
Why it matters
The appointment of a former personal lawyer to the President as the nation's top law enforcement official is a significant development in US executive-judicial relations.
The Senate voted to confirm Todd Blanche as U.S. attorney general, elevating the Justice Department's No. 2 leader and President Trump's former personal lawyer to head the entire 100,000-plus person department.
The Senate vote, early Saturday morning, was 50-49 in favor of Blanche. All Democrats, as well as Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, voted against him.
Politics Blanche's path to confirmation appears clear after winning key Republican's support Blanche overcame a final speedbump on Friday after securing key support from Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. With the absence of Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Murkowski's opposition, Cassidy's vote was crucial in securing a glidepath for Blanche.
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