Todd Blanche Clears Senate Committee After Committing to Kill Trump's $1.8B Fund

Todd Blanche has cleared a critical hurdle in his bid to become the next U.S. attorney general after satisfying Republican demands to dismantle a controversial $1.8 billion compensation fund tied to President Donald Trump.

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the current acting attorney general on a party-line vote on Tuesday.

The approval clears the way for a full Senate confirmation vote later this week.

Blanche salvaged his nomination by striking a Sunday agreement with two holdout Republican senators, John Cornyn and Thom Tillis.

He issued formal orders terminating the “anti-weaponization” fund and significantly restricting a related tax immunity agreement.

The latter directive ensures that audit protections apply solely to the past tax returns of Trump, his son, and their family enterprise.

Ending the Impasse

The $1.8 billion fund originally emerged from a settlement regarding Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS.

It was designed to financially support individuals claiming unfair political prosecution, potentially including those involved in the January 2021 Capitol attack.

Tillis and Cornyn, arguing they represented broader conservative apprehensions, forced a delay in the committee vote last week.

They demanded written proof that the financial program was permanently scrapped.

The standoff marked one of the most visible Republican revolts of Trump’s second term.

"I thought the fund was an insult," Tillis stated at Tuesday's hearing. "It’s been rescinded, and I am satisfied."

Texas Senator John Cornyn similarly expressed approval of the written concessions, stating he expected the Justice Department to honor the agreement in future litigation.

Both lawmakers argued Blanche would bring necessary stability to the department.

Democratic Skepticism

Despite the Republican compromise, critics maintain the concessions are inadequate and lack binding permanence.

Opponents highlight that Trump’s legal team never signed off on Blanche’s unilateral order, despite original settlement terms requiring approval from all involved parties.

During the committee session, Democrats aggressively questioned the legitimacy of the Sunday agreement.

"You even have conservatives coming out and saying these are not worth the paper they are drawn on," Senator Cory Booker said. "We got nothing. No guarantees whatsoever that this slush fund still can’t go forward."

The Justice Department and Blanche have notably refused to guarantee in court that the compensation fund will never be revived. Trump has continuously praised the concept of the payouts.

"The cop-beaters fund can easily be revived with a new DOJ order the day after Blanche is confirmed," said Senator Dick Durbin, the committee’s ranking Democrat. "Indeed, the president himself has telegraphed his plan."

Ongoing Legal Pressures

Democracy Forward, a legal advocacy group actively suing over the initial settlement, petitioned the Justice Department on Monday to declare the fund permanently void.

They have yet to receive a response.

Simultaneously, Durbin has accused Blanche of committing perjury during earlier confirmation testimony regarding his personal characterization of the fund, potentially laying the groundwork for a future congressional investigation.

Under Blanche’s tenure as acting attorney general, the Justice Department has faced accusations of dismantling traditional independence norms to target Trump’s political adversaries.

However, Republican legislators have consistently praised his administration for overseeing a nationwide decline in crime rates and facilitating the release of files tied to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.