BREAKING: Hold-out GOP Sens Cornyn, Tillis will confirm Todd Blanche as AG

In a capitulation to hold out GOP senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina acting Attorney General Todd Blanche formally rescinded the contentious $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund," in pursuit of the permanent role as AG.

In a joint statement on Tillis X account, Cornyn and Tillis said: "From the outset, Senator John Cornyn and I were clear that we needed a written document addressing our concerns on the IRS audit agreement and the anti-weaponization fund that included constraining the scope of audit protection by limiting it to the parties of the Settlement Agreement and legally ending the anti-weaponization fund. We are pleased that the Department of Justice has issued a formal order terminating the anti-weaponization fund. Additionally, the Department has acknowledged in a binding written order that the audit settlement is limited to the plaintiffs and the scope does not extend beyond the defendants in the lawsuit, the IRS and the Treasury, addressing concerns that multiple of our Republican colleagues."

Blanche's decision to rescind the program removes a major point of contention ahead of his Senate confirmation vote.

Both Senators will leave their respective Senate seats at the beginning of the new year and will do so largely because of President Trump who has been in heated conflict with both senators during his term. Cornyn was defeated by his GOP challenger Ken Paxton after Trump threw his endorsement behind his opponent and Tillis announced his retirement after Trump threatened to find a primary challenger and replace him.


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