Republican holdouts on the Senate Judiciary Committee have agreed to advance the nomination of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to lead the Department of Justice, ending a standoff centered on a proposed $1.8 billion compensation scheme. The deal was secured after the DOJ issued a formal, written order explicitly killing the "Anti-Weaponization Fund."
Written Assurance Terminates Fund
Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina had refused to support the nomination without an ironclad commitment that the fund was dead. The proposal, which originated from a settlement of President Trump's lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, sparked bipartisan concerns that taxpayer money could flow to individuals convicted in the January 6 Capitol breach. In a late Sunday order, Blanche stated definitively that no fund was ever operationalized. "No Members were appointed; no funds were transferred; no process for receiving claims was established; no claims were paid," the order confirmed. "This order establishes, beyond any doubt, that there is no Fund."
The senators, both retiring at the end of the term, leveraged their votes to force the issue, demanding protection for the public purse from what critics labeled a politically motivated slush fund. Satisfied with the documentation, they released a joint statement expressing gratitude to Blanche for his cooperation.
Scope of Tax Audit Protections Limited
Beyond the fund, the holdouts extracted concessions regarding a separate immunity agreement for IRS audits. The administration clarified in writing that the audit protections apply only retroactively to claims existing at the time of the settlement and do not shield future tax filings. Furthermore, the DOJ confirmed the immunity explicitly covers only the named plaintiffs: the president, two of his sons, and the Trump Organization.
Democratic opposition remains vocal, arguing the order does not prevent future administrative payouts to January 6 defendants through other federal claims processes and criticizing the existing tax agreement. However, with the hold removed, Blanche's nomination is now clear to proceed to a full Senate vote.