Senate committee postpones vote on Todd Blanche’s nomination over disagreements with GOP senators

Two Republicans on the Judiciary Committee said they have not received the assurances they’re seeking from the Justice Department regarding the Trump-IRS settlement.

WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed its vote on whether to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination to be attorney general after two Republican senators said they did not receive written assurances they were seeking from the Justice Department surrounding a settlement between President Donald Trump and the IRS.

The GOP-led committee was scheduled to vote Thursday morning on sending Blanche’s nomination to the full Senate, but Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, both of whom have clashed with Trump and neither of whom faces re-election in November, have complicated Blanche’s path to confirmation with their demands from the Justice Department.

Cornyn and Tillis met with Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on Wednesday afternoon as they said they were continuing to negotiate with the Justice Department.

A spokesperson for the committee said Wednesday evening that the vote would not happen Thursday.

“Chairman Grassley works to set President Trump’s nominees up for success in committee, not failure,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Senators Cornyn and Tillis want written assurances from the Department of Justice regarding the Trump-IRS settlement. Tomorrow’s markup is postponed as work continues to secure sufficient support in committee to favorably report Attorney General-nominee Todd Blanche, who is highly qualified for the job.”