Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) on Wednesday canceled a scheduled meeting with Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as attorney general. The outgoing senator — who was ousted in a contentious primary with Trump-backed Ken Paxton earlier this year — further stated that he is not prepared to vote in favor of advancing the nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which could tank Blanche’s nomination.
The Senate Judiciary Committee held its confirmation hearings for Blanche, who has served as the president’s acting attorney general since April, on July 15 and 16. Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) scheduled a vote for Thursday, July 30, to determine whether the nomination would advance to the full Senate.
Cornyn, a member of the committee, has raised concerns related to a settlement agreement between the Department of Justice and Trump stemming from a lawsuit Trump filed against the Internal Revenue Service.
As part of the settlement, the Justice Department established a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund intended to compensate individuals who were subjected to politically-motivated prosecutions under the Biden Administration. This includes January 6 protesters, pro-life activists, and other conservative individuals who were targeted by the Biden DOJ.
Blanche has stated in congressional testimony that the fund is not moving forward. Cornyn and fellow Judiciary Committee Republican Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) have sought written modifications to the settlement agreement to confirm that the fund will not be established or revived and to clarify the scope of the audit-related provisions.
Cornyn has said that the requested documentation would align the written settlement with statements Blanche made under oath during his confirmation hearing. Without such written verification, Cornyn and Tillis have declined to commit to supporting the nomination.
On Wednesday, Cornyn told reporters that the planned meeting with Blanche had been canceled after he did not receive any of the requested written assurances.
Cornyn noted that Grassley had informed him a decision was needed by 4 p.m. that day on whether the Thursday vote could proceed. “So we still got a little time, and hopefully they now recognize the seriousness of this, and will be responding,” Cornyn said.
He added that there was no real need for a meeting if the requested documentation was produced. When asked about the holdup, Cornyn replied, “Beats me. Maybe they think I’m just going to give up or, you know, go along, but they’re mistaken.” He further indicated that Tillis was largely aligned with his position.
BLANCHE LATEST: Cornyn tells us he sent DOJ back their proposal with a “red line strikeout” of what he needs to be a yes.
Less than 2 hours until he needs to tell Grassley how he’s voting. Tomorrow’s vote looms.
Cornyn said he’s meeting with Grassley this afternoon.
— Mychael Schnell (@mychaelschnell) July 29, 2026
A Justice Department official stated that a written proposal had been provided to Cornyn’s staff the previous day following discussions with the committee and the senator’s office, and that further discussion on outstanding concerns was anticipated. Cornyn has maintained that the materials received did not meet the requested terms.
The Senate Judiciary Committee consists of 22 members: 12 Republicans and 10 Democrats. Democrats on the panel are expected to oppose the nomination, meaning that just a single Republican detractor would prevent the nomination from advancing.
