Blanche Cuts a Deal With Cornyn to Get His Nomination Back on Track

Sen. John Cornyn has struck a deal with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and the Justice Department on an in-writing order nixing the “anti-weaponization fund” and limiting the scope of the audit immunity deal struck with President Donald Trump, putting Blanche a step closer to being confirmed as attorney general.

Late on Sunday, Cornyn and Blanche announced the agreement, which featured a formal order that the Texas senator and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) had been seeking for weeks in order to advance his nomination.

“We are pleased that the Department of Justice has issued a formal order terminating the anti-weaponization fund,” Cornyn and Tillis said in a joint statement Monday morning. “Additionally, the Department has acknowledged in a binding written order that the audit settlement is limited to the plaintiffs and the scope does not extend beyond the defendants in the lawsuit, the IRS and the Treasury, addressing concerns that multiple of our Republican colleagues share.”

The decision comes ahead of Tuesday’s planned Senate Judiciary Committee markup, which Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Republican leaders scheduled over the weekend in the hopes that a deal would be struck.

A single “no” vote from Cornyn or Tillis would have sunk Blanche’s nomination.

The agreement came together despite apparent opposition from Trump, who has vocally expressed support for the $1.8 billion fund. The president late last week indicated that he was willing to temporarily withdraw Blanche’s nomination until early next year when Cornyn and Tillis are set to leave office.

Trump wrote on Truth Social Saturday that he was prepared to “push hard” for the fund to be codified into law despite the reservations of numerous Senate Republicans beyond Cornyn and Tillis.

Blanche posted the pair of orders on his X feed.

“My team and I have met with committee members and Senators over the past several weeks and addressed any concerns or outstanding questions,” Blanche posted shortly before Cornyn publicly agreed to the deal. “We have enjoyed good faith discussions, and as a result issue the following order and update with regard to the May IRS settlement. The Department always welcomes and appreciates productive engagement with all members of Congress.”