Cornyn threatens to block Blanche nomination over Trump's IRS settlement

Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn said Monday he will oppose Todd Blanche’s confirmation as attorney general unless the Trump administration rewrites a settlement agreement the president reached with the IRS – a stance that could derail the nomination ahead of a closely watched Senate Judiciary Committee vote scheduled for Thursday.

Cornyn's opposition, if it holds, would likely be enough to sink Blanche’s chances in the committee, of which Cornyn is a member, given its narrow Republican majority. The committee votes on whether to "recommend" a nominee for a final floor vote.

The settlement at issue stems from a lawsuit Trump filed against the IRS over the leak of his tax information. The Justice Department resolved that suit by agreeing to create a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” to compensate Trump allies who said they were targeted by the Biden-era DOJ, while also shielding Trump and his family from IRS audits for past years. 

The deal has drawn substantial scrutiny in federal court. 

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams reopened the case and issued a scathing order finding the lawsuit had been brought for an improper purpose, referring Trump’s personal attorney to the Florida bar for possible disciplinary action and directing copies of her ruling to the New York and D.C. bar associations, where Blanche and Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward are respectively members, citing ongoing disciplinary proceedings tied to their roles in the settlement.

Cornyn, who in May lost his reelection bid to Trump-backed GOP candidate Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, said he is in active discussions with Blanche and other Justice Department officials but has not yet secured the revisions he is demanding to the settlement. 

Those changes include formally rescinding a proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” and narrowing the scope of tax-audit immunity granted to Trump and his family.

Cornyn told reporters he wants the revised document signed by Blanche personally, though he stopped short of saying whether Trump’s signature would also be required.