Trump's ex-lawyer advances for attorney general after deal with Republican holdouts

US senators voted along party lines Tuesday to advance Todd Blanche, former personal lawyer to President Donald Trump, to the position of attorney general. The vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee followed intense debate over Blanche's relationship with Trump and a controversial settlement fund that had nearly derailed his confirmation.

Republicans supported Blanche by a 12-10 vote, while Democrats opposed his nomination. Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis had previously delayed the committee vote for a week, demanding that Blanche scrap the proposed "Anti-Weaponisation Fund" and limit IRS audits of Trump and his family. The fund originated from the Trump administration's settlement of a lawsuit the president filed against the IRS concerning the leaking of his tax records.

Critics had raised concerns that the fund, intended to compensate individuals who claimed they were targeted by politically motivated government investigations, could be used to benefit Trump allies. This included defendants charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. Blanche did not participate in the committee meeting, as it was not a hearing.