Todd Blanche Clears Senate Hurdle as Republicans Warn Trump Deal Could Still Implode [WATCH]

President Donald Trump’s choice to take permanent control of the Justice Department made it through a critical Senate test Tuesday, but nobody in Washington should confuse survival with smooth sailing, as reported by Fox News.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 12 to 10 vote after a weekend agreement with key Republican skeptics, sending the nomination to the full Senate for what could be a much tighter fight.

The drama centered on Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas, who had been holding out over major concerns tied to Blanche’s handling of a controversial IRS settlement involving Trump and his family.

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Their deal requires the permanent rescission of the nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund and narrows the audit immunity language that had raised eyebrows among Republicans who were not thrilled about handing Democrats an easy talking point.

Tillis said the fund issue appeared settled, telling Fox News Digital, “we’ve got enough data in the record to know it’s rescinded.” He added, “Other people are asking about the audit component, but it’s another area where I put a lot of faith in John Cornyn.”

Cornyn argued that the audit protections had been tightened enough to earn his support. He said, “I think that he believes that we’re at a place where it’s narrowly defined,” adding that the language is retrospective and “it is not prospective.”

That was enough for Cornyn and Tillis, but not everyone is convinced the White House will stay boxed in by a Senate handshake. In this town, after all, an agreement can age about as well as a campaign promise once the cameras leave.

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Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana put the concern bluntly, saying Trump “could renege on their agreement.” He continued, “I’m not saying he will or he won’t, what’s stopping the president from doing anything? But it was important to Cornyn and important to Tillis.”

Kennedy also said, “And I’m glad they got cooperation from, finally, from DOJ. And I think I’ve heard some other senators who have grumbled a little bit about not voting for Blanche, but I think they will. He’ll be confirmed.”

Democrats, naturally, are trying to turn the deal into a political cudgel, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut claiming Cornyn and Tillis did not secure anything meaningful. That is rich coming from a party that spent years cheering on federal machinery whenever it was aimed at conservatives.

Still, Blanche is not out of danger. With Sen. Mitch McConnell away from Washington while recovering from a fall at his D.C. home, Republicans have very little room for defections on the Senate floor.

Blanche can currently lose only two Republican votes if Democrats stay united against him, which is a safe bet since resisting Trump remains their favorite substitute for governing. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, John Curtis, and Bill Cassidy have not fully committed.

Murkowski told reporters she wants “to find out a little bit more about the negotiations,” before deciding where she lands. Her caution adds another wrinkle for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who is trying to move nominees before lawmakers flee Washington for the August break.

Thune made clear he wants to advance Blanche as quickly as possible if the nomination comes out of committee. “Ideally, we’d like to get him done, and particularly if he comes out, which looks like he now will, affirmatively out of the committee,” he said.

He added, “Then I’d like to figure out a way, a path forward to get him done.” That path exists, but it is narrow, and it runs through a Republican conference that has already shown it is willing to make the White House sweat.

For Blanche, the committee vote was a major win, but not a coronation. The next round will test whether GOP skeptics trust the deal, whether Trump sticks with it, and whether Senate Republicans can keep their own side from turning a confirmation fight into another Beltway circus.

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