Trashing President Donald Trump along the way, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said Friday she will oppose the nomination of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” she said, according to NBC News.
“I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case,” she added.
“The politicization — even weaponization — of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it,” Murkowski continued, according to The Hill.
“I take issue with the handling of the release of the [Jeffrey] Epstein files; the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, and their businesses; the statements that have been made to anti-abortion groups; and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. Senators,” Murkowski said.
Murkowski also said Blanche’s actions to sink a proposed fund to compensate victims of past politicized Justice Department did not go far enough.
“I am also keenly aware that the Department’s nearly $2-billion dollar slush fund — which likely would have rewarded January 6 protesters — is only off the table because this nomination is pending and the Senate has leverage,” she said. “Once we vote, that will end, and there is no telling what the future holds.”
Will Todd Blanche be confirmed?
Murkowski’s opposition throws the ability of Blanche to win a confirmation vote into doubt.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who is facing a tough re-election fight, has already said she will not support Blanche.
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who lost a Republican primary to a Trump-backed opponent, has not indicated where he stands, NBC News noted.
Although Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, the absence of Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell means that unless McConnell makes a return, the most votes Republicans can marshal is 52.
If Cassidy and Murkowski both hold out on the Todd Blanche vote, Republicans will need McConnell.
They would have to bring him in and have him give some kind of signal to indicate his vote.
Thune has mentioned to people close to him that they may need McConnell on more than… https://t.co/z7R6wsA2mB
— Sophia Cai (@SophiaCai99) August 6, 2026
If Cassidy decides to even the political score by opposing Blanche, and McConnell remains absent, the nominee would not be confirmed unless a Democrat breaks ranks.
Trump was criticizing Murkowski even before she announced her opposition to Blanche, NBC News noted.
“Murkowski, I was against. I’m against Murkowski,” he said in a Punchbowl News interview.
If Sen. Gallego is out for Todd Blanche’s confirmation vote, it significantly changes the math for Senate GOP leaders
Right now, with Sen. McConnell out, they can only lose 2 R’s and still confirm Blanche on the floor. Dems & Sen. Collins expected to oppose the AG nominee
— Laura Weiss (@LauraEWeiss16) August 6, 2026
“I do more for Alaska than any president in history. No president’s done for Alaska what I’ve done. She’s not good,” he said of the lawmaker, who was among those voting against Trump in his 2021 impeachment trial before the Senate.
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