The confirmation of Todd Blanche as attorney general of the United States reveals just how far President Donald Trump has shifted the Overton window—the spectrum of thought that is considered acceptable—with regard to the Department of Justice. During the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings last month, the acting attorney general’s nomination hit a snag when two senators, Tom Tillis and John Cornyn, demanded that Blanche sign a document assuring them he would not revive the president’s proposal to set up a $1.8 billion so-called anti-weaponization fund providing support for individuals allegedly persecuted by the federal government. Although he initially hesitated, Blanche ultimately released a carefully worded statement promising that the fund “is not moving forward.” The decision to shield members of the Trump family from IRS audits remained in place, though Blanche provided a “binding written document,” as a Cornyn spokesperson put it, specifying who would and would not be covered by the provision. Within hours, Tillis and Cornyn said they were satisfied and would vote for his confirmation.
The fact that these vague assurances were sufficient to move his confirmation forward was already an indication of just how little Senate Republicans are demanding from the administration. And that’s even from two senior senators who aren’t running for reelection after finding themselves in the president’s crosshairs. But anyone following the Iran war—in which the president is comfortable constantly reversing himself—would hesitate to accept Blanche’s assurance at face value.
