Cornyn says there’s no deal on Blanche attorney general nomination: ‘They know what they have to do’
By Maya Ellison · Reporting from Detroit ·
The whole spectacle surrounding Todd Blanche’s nomination for Attorney General isn't about law; it's an auction for political immunity.
The Price of Immunity is Too High for Public Trust
The whole spectacle surrounding Todd Blanche’s nomination for Attorney General isn't about law; it's an auction for political immunity. It’s the same stench that hangs over every time concentrated wealth tries to buy its way out of accountability. When John Cornyn stated on the Senate floor, "I don't know why they're so reluctant to do that when he's already sworn to it," what he was really saying was: this deal is too dirty for us to pass.
The nomination itself—a vehicle designed to protect Donald Trump and his network from IRS audits via the $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund"—is a textbook example of how power corrupts. As reported by ABC News, Cornyn himself showed that Blanche admitted the fund could be enforced because it was "essentially, a contract." The fact that this immunity provision immunizes Trump, his family, and businesses from scrutiny is the entire problem.
When Cronyism Replaces Law
This isn't some modern political disagreement; it’s a pattern of financial corruption. We are watching history repeat itself, right down to the mechanism. This whole charade echoes the Teapot Dome scandal—a time when federal resources were leased and protected from oversight by private interests in exchange for bribes. The shared mechanism is clear: key figures leveraging accusations of improper financial dealings to stall necessary governmental accountability.
The fact that Blanche’s former role as Trump's lawyer was already scrutinized by Judge Kathleen Williams, who called the entire lawsuit "non-adversarial, collusive, and jurisdictionally improper," only deepens the rot. The nomination is fundamentally about shielding assets, not serving justice. As prospect.org detailed, Cornyn’s repeated insistence that the fund is "not really dead" proves he understands this isn't a legal debate; it's an attempt to write away accountability for powerful people who think they are above the rules—the same way oil barons cornered government reserves over a century ago.
The Illusion of Congressional Oversight
The Senate Judiciary Committee, with its majority hanging by a thread and facing accusations of political loyalty, is failing in its most basic duty: protecting the public purse. It’s clear that the leverage here isn't law; it's money—the promise of continued access to power for those who fund these campaigns. The committee’s focus on immunity over integrity proves they are compromised.
This nomination must fail. Any attempt by a political machine to use federal appointments to establish immunity from financial scrutiny, regardless of how many times they call it "settlement," is nothing more than modern-day Teapot Dome corruption and deserves immediate rejection.