Sen. Cassidy backs Blanche for attorney general

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., announced Thursday he will vote to confirm Todd Blanche as U.S. attorney general, breaking from several fellow Republicans and giving President Donald Trump a clearer path to seat his pick.

Cassidy’s endorsement follows weeks of behind-the-scenes Republican concern about whether the Justice Department could remain independent under Trump, who has repeatedly criticized its investigations into his allies. The senator said he believes Blanche, a former Trump White House lawyer, has the legal chops to lead the department—but he also stressed that the AG must stand up to political pressure. His support comes after other GOP senators signaled reservations, including Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, who has said the Justice Department must not be weaponized.

Blanche’s nomination has faced scrutiny over his past work defending Trump in the Russia investigation and his role in the White House counsel’s office. Democrats have warned that installing a former Trump lawyer as attorney general risks turning the department into a political tool. But Cassidy argued that Blanche’s experience and prior government service outweigh those concerns. The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Blanche’s nomination last month on a party-line vote, setting up a full Senate confirmation likely next week.

If confirmed, Blanche would replace acting AG Matthew Colangelo, who has resisted Trump’s efforts to assert control over prosecutions. Republicans who back Blanche say he can restore order at the department after years of turmoil under Trump’s first term. But critics, including some former DOJ officials, warn that a Trump-aligned AG could undermine public trust in the department’s impartiality. Cassidy’s support signals that Blanche has enough Republican votes to win confirmation, but it also highlights deep divisions within the party over the Justice Department’s independence.