Murkowski Says No. Blanche’s Fate Now Cassidy’s

Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said Friday she will vote against confirming acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to the role permanently, narrowing his path to Senate confirmation as lawmakers prepare to leave for August recess.

Murkowski’s opposition makes her the second Senate Republican, after Maine’s Susan Collins, to announce a “no” vote on Blanche, President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney. With Senator Mitch McConnell absent from the Senate and all Democrats expected to oppose the nomination, Blanche can afford no further GOP defections, leaving his confirmation dependent on how Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana votes.

Why She Opposes Blanche

Murkowski cited several specific concerns in her statement, including the handling of the release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, what she described as sweeping immunity protections granted to Trump, his family and their businesses, and statements made to anti-abortion groups. She also pointed to a Justice Department fund she said could resurface if Blanche is confirmed.

“I am also keenly aware that the Department’s slush fund, which likely would have rewarded January 6 protesters, is only off the table because this nomination is pending and the Senate has leverage,” Murkowski wrote. “Once we vote, that will end, and there is no telling what the future holds.”

Murkowski also criticized federal prosecutors’ efforts under Blanche’s leadership to pursue charges against Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz, and Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich, over a video the two produced urging U.S. service members to resist unlawful orders.

Cassidy Holds the Deciding Vote

Murkowski’s opposition follows Collins, who announced earlier in the week she would also vote no on Blanche. With McConnell absent from the Senate following a fall last month, and all 47 members of the Senate Democratic caucus expected to oppose the nomination, Senate Majority Leader John Thune can afford only one more Republican defection and still confirm Blanche.

That leaves Cassidy as the deciding vote. Cassidy told NBC on Thursday he had “no comment on Blanche.” His relationship with the Trump administration has been strained since Trump endorsed his opponent in the Louisiana Republican primary, which Cassidy lost.

Blanche, 52, met with both Murkowski and Cassidy at the US Capitol on August 5 as he worked to shore up support, according to ABC News. He has served as acting attorney general and previously as Trump’s personal defense attorney. His confirmation had already faced turbulence after Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Thom Tillis, R-NC, withheld support over concerns tied to his leadership at the Justice Department.

Trump has criticized Murkowski over the decision. In comments released Friday, he said, “Murkowski, I was against. I’m against Murkowski. I do more for Alaska than any president in history.” He separately said in recent days that Murkowski had “Trump Derangement Syndrome” over her refusal to back the SAVE Act, an unrelated piece of legislation.