Even as the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee approved President Donald Trump’s nomination of Todd Blanche for U.S. Attorney General this week, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) continued to voice his objection to Blanche’s nomination.
Durbin told the Committee: “Prior to this hearing, Mr. Blanche told me he ‘made a mistake’ by creating the January 6th slush fund. Where did he say it?, in my office. With witnesses and my staff [sic] to what I’m about to say, when I asked him about this under oath, Mr. Blanche falsely claimed that he never made this statement. That’s not true. Mr. Blanche’s willingness to casually lie under oath about a statement he made in a room full of witnesses shows the lengths he will go to avoid offending President Trump.”
Sen. @DickDurbin: Prior to this hearing, Mr. Blanche told me he made a mistake by creating the January 6th slush fund. With witnesses and my staff to what I’m about to say, when I asked him about this under oath, Mr. Blanche falsely claimed that he never made this statement.… pic.twitter.com/VpQgLCUvPZ
— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) August 4, 2026
[NOTE: On Monday, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and John Cornyn (R-TX), who had withheld support while pressing Blanche to put in writing that the controversial Trump “weaponization” payout fund was dead, said they were satisfied with Blanche’s signed document to that effect. Critics of Blanche’s pledge say there are concerning loopholes.]
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) thanked Tillis and Cornyn on social media, and wrote: “Blanche is right pick for Atty Gen &our country is safer w him leading DOJ Thx Pres Trump+ Blanche+ Sens Cornyn & Tillis for working thru the wkend w me to get the votes to advance this well qualified nominee.”
Grassley’s too modest to say this, so I will:
Grassley 100% brokered the deal and resuscitated Todd Blanche’s nomination from near-death.
Grassley’s Trump’s most effective Senate ally.
Judges, DOJ, taxes, trade.
Grassley’s a workhorse, not a show horse.
He always delivers. https://t.co/lXMuOMMq5n
—
Mike Davis
According to self-described conservative “fixer” and staunch Trump supporter Mike Davis, a former Chief Counsel for Nominations to Senate Judiciary Chairman Grassley, it was Grassley who made the nomination vote happen.
Davis wrote: “Grassley’s too modest to say this, so I will: Grassley 100% brokered the deal and resuscitated Todd Blanche’s nomination from near-death. Grassley’s Trump’s most effective Senate ally. Judges, DOJ, taxes, trade. Grassley’s a workhorse, not a show horse. He always delivers.”
Blanche’s nomination now moves to a full Senate vote, where Republican Senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska have not yet committed to supporting his confirmation.