Todd Blanche’s Attorney General nomination

The story so far

1. 

   Update 8Aug 11 11:27 UTC3 days later

   50-49 Puts Trump's Ex-Lawyer in Charge of the Justice Department

   A 50-49 overnight vote made Trump's former personal lawyer the nation's top law enforcement officer — by the thinnest margin, after written concessions on independence.

   Still open after this report

   • No public remarks from Blanche at his swearing-in are in the provided record.
   • The oath location, the identity and fate of any predecessor, and claims about morale or future enforcement priorities are not confirmed by the sources provided.
2. 

   Update 7Aug 8 08:30 UTC10 hours later

   50-49: Cassidy's Reluctant Yes Hands Blanche the Justice Department

   Bill Cassidy's reluctant yes broke a 50-49 deadlock and confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general after Murkowski and Collins defected.

   Still open after this report

   • No verified explanation in the sources for McConnell's status or its precise effect on the vote math.
   • No verified source account for the narration's specific fraud-recovery figure, management directives, or outside endorsement wording.
3. 

   Update 6Aug 7 22:59 UTC3 days later

   Murkowski's No Leaves Trump's AG Pick Hanging by One Vote

   Bill Cassidy's Friday yes gave Todd Blanche a likely 50-vote path to lead the Justice Department after Murkowski and Collins defected — but the vote itself had not yet happened.

   Still open after this report

   • No final Senate vote result is established in these sources.
   • No verified detail on the internal deliberations beyond sleeping on it overnight.
4. 

   Update 5Aug 5 04:45 UTC4 days later

   Blanche Advances 12-10 After Cornyn and Tillis Win Written DOJ Concessions

   A 12-10 committee vote moved Todd Blanche toward confirmation after two GOP holdouts won written limits on a disputed DOJ fund and a Trump audit shield.

   Still open after this report

   • No corroborated size or single settlement origin for the fund in provided sources.
   • No verified verbatim text of Cornyn's committee remarks in provided sources.
5. 

   Update 4Aug 1 09:36 UTC30 hours later

   $1.8 Billion Was Declared Dead. Then Trump Threatened to Bring It Back.

   Trump called a $1.8 billion DOJ payout fund dead, said he wished it weren't, and then threatened to revive it unless two GOP senators confirm Todd Blanche.

   Still open after this report

   • No public record in the file shows Trump authorizing a written promise that the fund will never return.
   • The verbatim wording of any Tillis social post and other uncorroborated video details remain unconfirmed.
6. 

   Update 3Jul 31 03:07 UTC5 hours later

   Senate Unanimously Opposes Maxwell Pardon, Putting AG Nominee Blanche in Peril

   A unanimous vote against clemency for Ghislaine Maxwell collided with a GOP blockade of Todd Blanche, exposing a confirmation fight driven by a disputed fund and Epstein politics.

   Still open after this report

   • No verbatim quotes from Cornyn, Tillis or Rosen floor speech in supplied reporting.
   • No confirmed figure for fund as $1.8 billion and no exact new committee vote date.
7. 

   Update 2Jul 30 22:13 UTC8 days later

   How a $1.8 Billion Fund Froze the Blanche Nomination — and Unfroze It

   $1.8 billion stopped an attorney general nomination cold — until a written rescission three days later restarted it.

   Still open after this report

   • The file does not establish verbatim testimony language, internal Justice Department deliberations, or the full text of the written agreement and audit-shield clarification.
8. 

   Update 1Jul 23 07:05 UTC

   Four Epstein Survivors Walked Out of DOJ Calling the Meeting a Stunt

   Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche sat down with accusers only after Sen. Thom Tillis made it a condition of his vote. The hour-long meeting ended with survivors calling it dismissive, condescending, and unresolved.

   Still open after this report

   • Whether or when the Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled a vote on Blanche's nomination.
   • Whether any specific Republican senator other than Tillis remained publicly undecided on Blanche's nomination as of the broadcast.
   • The actual outcome of any Senate Judiciary Committee vote on Blanche's nomination.