What Has Trump Said About The Opposition To Blanche?
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump dismissed concerns about Blanche’s confirmation hitting a roadblock and insisted that he was “outstanding…You just wouldn’t find a better person.” The president then took a shot at the Texas senator, saying “Maybe John Cornyn’s upset with me because I didn’t endorse him.” Trump endorsed Cornyn’s opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who won the Texas GOP Senate primary in May. Speaking to reporters at the Capitol, Cornyn pushed back against Trump’s remarks, saying: “I think that’s a convenient excuse for not cooperating with the judiciary committee’s appropriate role in the confirmation.” The president has not yet commented on the delay in the Senate panel vote.
Read more In Photos: Full ‘Buck Moon’ Rises To Set Up A Total Solar Eclipse
key background
Earlier on Wednesday, Cornyn told reporters that the DOJ was refusing to modify the IRS settlement—which would grant Trump, his sons and others broad immunity on IRS audits. He also noted that the agency was unwilling to formally scrap the controversial $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund” to compensate people who believe they were targets of politically motivated federal prosecution. Blanche told Congress earlier that the nearly $1.8 billion fund was “dead,” but Cornyn and Tillis have demanded written assurances from the DOJ. Cornyn told reporters, “I haven’t seen a single piece of writing that is responsive to what I’ve requested…Maybe they think I’m just going to give up or, you know, go along, but they’re mistaken.”
Read more Powerball Jackpot Tops $700 Million—Here’s What The Winner Could Take Home
further reading
Trump’s DOJ ‘Simply Refuses’ To Formally Restrict IRS Settlement, Senator Says (Forbes)
Read more When To See Two Meteor Showers Peak This Week As Perseids Intensify