Trump Considers Delaying Attorney General Nomination Amid Tax Settlement Dispute

The confirmation of the nation's top law enforcement official is currently stalled due to a dispute over whether the President and his family should receive permanent immunity from future tax audits.

• •President Trump suggested he may withdraw Todd Blanche's nomination for Attorney General and resubmit it after Senators Cornyn and Tillis leave office next year.
• •The dispute centers on a tax lawsuit settlement that grants the President and his family immunity from tax audits.
• •Senators Cornyn and Tillis are demanding written assurances that the settlement does not protect the President from future tax audits.
• •The administration previously proposed a $1.776 billion 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' to compensate Trump allies, which has since been dropped.
• •Lawmakers are seeking written confirmation that the 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' is permanently cancelled.
• •Todd Blanche can continue to lead the Justice Department as acting attorney general or in his confirmed role as deputy attorney general even if his nomination for the full-time post is withdrawn.
• •All Democratic senators are currently opposed to Blanche's nomination, making Republican support critical for confirmation.
• •The tax settlement includes a provision stating the U.S. government is 'forever barred and precluded' from scrutinizing or prosecuting the President and his family regarding past and current tax examinations.