Trump-friendly Democrat Fetterman joins GOP holdouts in opposing Blanche for AG
WASHINGTON, DC: While John Fetterman's opinion of AG nominee Todd Blanche is unlikely to have any material effect on his confirmation, the Democrat, who has frequently backed President Donald Trump's policies and nominees, joining GOP holdouts escalates political scrutiny around Blanche's nomination.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, August 4, advanced Todd Blanche’s nomination, marking a decisive step closer to his assuming the post of Attorney General in the Trump administration.
Fetterman refuses to vote for Blanche
During his appearance on comedian Jon Stewart's podcast on Wednesday, August 5, John Fetterman expressed his opinion about Todd Blanche’s AG nomination, who was picked by Trump, and clarified that not all of Trump’s cabinet nominees were supported by him.
Fetterman said he would not vote for acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to officially take over the role leading the Department of Justice.
"Many of them I didn't vote for," Fetterman said, referring to Trump's Cabinet nominees.
"And if you're going to bring up Blanche, I'm not going to vote for him as well. There are some that I would vote for, and then there are many that I haven't because I just don't believe that's the right person for the job overall. I really try to call balls and strikes," he told Stewart.
Fetterman's support for Trump fuels defection questions
John Fetterman is a Democratic leader who is better known for defending Trump’s foreign policies, backing his cabinet nominees beyond the party lines, and frequently slamming his own party members for one or other reasons.
Pennsylvania Senator's cross-party alignments have raised intense questions about political defection and whether he intends to switch parties.
While Fetterman received fierce backlash from his colleagues for voting for the Trump administration over foreign and domestic issues, he maintained that his stand represents independence rather than his intention to go with Republicans.
According to a Fox News Digital review, Fetterman voted to confirm half of Trump’s nominees and was the only Democrat to vote for Trump’s choice for attorney general, Pam Bondi.
Blanche’s nomination battle moves ahead
Todd Blanche on Tuesday, August 4, moved a significant step closer to the post of Attorney General. It happened only after making a significant concession to skeptical Republicans: formally rescinding the administration's controversial $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund.
While the move secured the support he needed from GOP holdouts, legal experts say the underlying settlement that created the fund still exists, leaving open the possibility that the issue could resurface in the future.
Potential legal trouble remains in place after the suspension of the $1.8 billion fund, as the creation of the Anti-Weaponization Fund was a condition of the legal settlement between the Trump family and the IRS.
