Senate Confirms Blanche as AG, 50–49

Politics State of the Union: Blanche has overseen the Justice Department in an acting capacity since April 2. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images The Senate on Saturday confirmed Todd Blanche as U.S. attorney general in a 50–49 vote. Blanche, who had previously served as President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, had led the Department of Justice as acting attorney general since April. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AL) and Susan Collins (R-ME) joined all of the upper chamber’s Democrats in voting against Blanche. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is absent for health reasons. Blanche’s five months as acting attorney general included a number of controversies about DOJ policy, including an effort to create a $1.8 billion fund to compensate the victims of “legal weaponization” and the settlement of a lawsuit Trump filed against the IRS.