The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday morning (August 4) advanced the nominee for Attorney General.
Among the 12 senators voting for Todd Blanche were Missouri's Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt and Iowa's Charles Grassley, who chairs the judiciary committee.
Grassley's statement following the 12-10 committee vote said "“Todd Blanche’s Justice Department has reprioritized the safety of Americans after the Biden administration opened the borders to violent criminals and turned a blind eye to the heinous crimes that were happening around the country… Today, I’m not only voting to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination. I’m voting for the safety of the American people,”.
Before the vote, Grassley thanked "Senators Cornyn and Tillis for their hard work related to today’s nomination. Their concerns about the Anti-Weaponization Fund and the IRS settlement were shared by many, including this senator. I’m grateful that they, as well as Mr. Blanche and the White House, worked in good faith to resolve them. Formally rescinding the Anti-Weaponization Fund and clarifying the scope of the release of claims has put this issue to bed once and for all."
Grassley also said before the vote that "The Justice Department has thrived under his (Blanche's) leadership. Among other things, Mr. Blanche has led major successes in thwarting federal program fraud, ending racial discrimination and restoring the safety of every American. I’d like to take a moment to reflect on that last one – the safety of Americans. That’s the primary job of the Attorney General and the Justice Department. At the hearing, Mr. Blanche stated that his job was “securing safety for every American.” He’s right, and it’s clear from his track record that Mr. Blanche has succeeded by that measure."
As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, there were no statements about the vote from Hawley or Schmitt on their Senate websites or their campaign social media.