Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) told reporters Thursday morning that he remains leaning against supporting Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general in the Judiciary Committee, as a standoff with the Department of Justice (DOJ) continues over unresolved assurances.
The dispute centers on demands from Cornyn and Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) for written guarantees that a proposed $1.776 legal defense fund for victims of DOJ "weaponization" is permanently scrapped, and that President Trump cannot exempt his family from IRS audits. Cornyn said Thursday night that the DOJ has not provided sufficient clarity in writing to close the legal loophole that could revive the fund.
"I think I am prepared to vote no, but I do think I owe it to my constituents and to Mr. Blanche to try to negotiate in good faith," Cornyn told reporters. "And that's what we've been doing. And so we'll see where things are this morning and see where we go from here."
The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), canceled a scheduled 9 a.m. EDT Thursday vote on advancing Blanche's nomination after hours of talks between White House officials, Blanche, and senators failed to produce a breakthrough. Cornyn had accused the DOJ of "stonewalling" his requests earlier this week.
President Trump has suggested that Cornyn's resistance stems from personal animosity, noting that the Texas senator lost his primary in May to a Trump-backed challenger and will leave the Senate in January. Cornyn dismissed that as "a convenient excuse" for the administration's refusal to meet his and Tillis's demands. He pointed to his 99.3% voting record with Trump as evidence of his loyalty.
"This is about making sure that even if you're the president of the United States, you don't get favorable terms from the government in a settlement of a lawsuit that ordinary citizens would not get, like protection from audits by the IRS into the foreseeable future," Cornyn added Thursday.
When asked if Trump had contacted him about the issue, Cornyn said no, but suggested a call could help resolve the impasse. "He could fix this in a minute," Cornyn said. "But I don't know whether … who he's listening to or whether he's motivated to do that. So, we'll see what happens."
The standoff has cast uncertainty over Blanche's nomination, which already faces scrutiny over Trump loyalty. Cornyn's hold is a key test of Senate independence, as Blanche's AG nomination tests the Senate's commitment to rule of law. Meanwhile, Trump downplays Cornyn's hold on the Blanche nomination, but the Texas senator's defiance signals a shift in dynamics as he prepares to exit office.
