Washington —GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said on Sunday that his decision to support Todd Blanche’s nomination for attorney general wasn’t “black or white,” outlining what informed his thinking ahead of casting the decisive vote.
“If you’re looking for a black or white decision here, you’re not going to find it,” Cassidy said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”
Cassidy announced in a lengthy speech Friday on the Senate floor that he would vote in favor of Blanche, clearing the way for him to be confirmed as attorney general. The Louisiana Republican, who was defeated by a primary challenger earlier this year after the president endorsed his opponent, has been more willing to break with his party in recent months, and his vote had been the subject of intense interest after GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said they wouldn’t support Blanche.
With 53 seats in the upper chamber, and GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky’s continued absence, Cassidy’s opposition would have effectively sunk Blanche’s nomination. But with the announcement of his support Friday, Senate Republicans narrowly confirmed Blanche as attorney general early Saturday morning.
Blanche faced pushback from a number of GOP senators over the Justice Department’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund to provide payouts to people who alleged they were wronged by the federal government, which came as part of a settlement agreement the department reached with the president to resolve a $10 billion civil lawsuit over the leak of his tax returns. Blanche testified in June that the fund was “dead,” but concern persisted among some Republicans — including Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Then last week, the two senators reached an agreement with the DOJ, dropping their opposition to Blanche’s nomination as he issued an order rescinding his directive that established the fund.
Asked about his concerns regarding the DOJ fund, Cassidy reiterated that the decision wasn’t black or white, but a “gradation of gray.” But he stressed that he’s been told that the process to reinstate the fund “effectively is dead.” He cited Cornyn’s comfort with where things stand, noting that the Texas Republican has a background as the state’s attorney general.
“Took him a while to get there, but the fact that John did was important to me,” Cassidy said. “I trust John on that.”
On the settlement providing broad immunity to Mr. Trump’s family, with protection against tax audits and investigations, Cassidy said “that’s totally wrong.”
“No American should be targeted by the law, but no American should be above the law,” he said. “And that, frankly, almost weighed to vote no.”
But Cassidy outlined what he saw as the positives for Blanche, saying he spoke to the U.S. attorneys in Louisiana in conversations that he said weighed “strongly” in Blanche’s favor.
“If you want a DOJ which is actually doing its job, you need stable leadership, and you need leadership which is effective,” Cassidy said. “And in that which is making the greatest difference in my life, in your life, in the American people’s life, there’s a lot of positive things to say about Todd Blanche.”
As for how Blanche would handle the upcoming election, and questions Democrats have posed over whether Blanche will uphold the Constitution, Cassidy said “there’s always this existential anxiety.” But he added, “I am as confident as you can be about the future.”
Cassidy’s decision to support Blanche came more than a year after he likewise cast a decisive vote to advance Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., despite serious concerns over Kennedy’s track record on vaccines. Cassidy, a medical doctor, has since clashed with the HHS secretary on a number of occasions.
The Louisiana Republican appeared emotional during his remarks on the Senate floor as he described the gravity of his decision to support Blanche. He explained Sunday that “sometimes you’re aware of the incredible privilege of representing your state and your nation.”
“As a little boy, I would read history books, and I read about these great decisions on the Senate floor,” he said. “The fact that I, Bill Cassidy, was able to do that, I am so privileged. And whenever I just for a second am hit by the gravity of that and the honor of that, I get emotional.”