This is the deep dive of deep dives. Katie and I go all the way back to the origin of Trump’s slush fund, the lawsuit he filed in Florida, Trump v. IRS, to explain how we got from there to here—the moment where his nominee to be Attorney General, Todd Blanche, continues to act more like the president’s personal lawyer than like the Attorney General of the United States.
It’s not just Trumpworld corruption as usual—and even if, perhaps especially if, Blanche gets confirmed, it will be one of the major stories that lingers from the Trump administration. We trace the slush fund, the Trump immunity deal, and the arguments against confirming Blanche. Now that his nomination has made it out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, it’s on to a floor vote. With Mitch McConnell out, Blanche can only afford to lose two votes. Susan Collins, facing a tight race for reelection in Maine, has said she won’t vote for him—we’ll see if that holds up. Lisa Murkowski remains mum, and Bill Cassidy from Louisiana, who isn’t returning to the Senate, has also suggested he’s on the fence. Will it be Tillis and Cornyn redeaux, or might there be some actual opposition to Blanche? Stay tuned; we’re likely to find out by the end of the week.
We’re in this together,
Joyce
