The confirmation of Todd Blanche as Attorney General of the United States has been kabuki theater of sorts. We were hopeful that three Republicans had the backbone to turn down this man who has broken the Department of Justice. Surely, the Senate would not confirm a man who is so subservient to Trump. The DOJ is supposed to be at arms’-length from the President. Blanche is under Trump’s thumb.
Blanche is the one who negotiated a deal to create a $1.776 billion slush fund for insurrectionists and Trump allies as well as a sweet deal for Trump, his sons, and their business NOT to be audited by the IRS, a gift to them of at least $100 million, probably more.
I imagined that there would be outrage towards the man who refused to release the Epstein files. The guy who spent two days interviewing sexual predator Ghislaine Maxwell, then arranged for her transfer to a minimum security prison where she received special treatment, as if she were a privileged guest, not a convicted pedophile.
Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski will vote against confirming Blanche. In Collins’ case, this is a pattern. She votes against her party only when her vote is not needed.
Most shocking are the “yes” votes of Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, John Cornyn of Texas, and–today–Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. All three were driven out of the senate by Trump. Till is resigned because Trump threatened to primary him. The other two were primaried by Trump choices and lost.
They had reason to stand against Trump, and they had reason to have a spine. But in the end, all three caved.
And Todd Blanche will head the nation’s Justice Department, where he will continue Trump’s agenda and his vendettas.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“Most shocking are the “yes” votes of Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, John Cornyn of Texas, and–today–Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.”Betcha a nickel all three of those profiles in discourage will remain in DC, make a ton of money lobbying and enjoy being Republican power-brokers as they enjoy their sweet ride into the sunset. Oh, and they’ll no doubt make sure to join all kinds of “across partisan lines” panels and serious people discussions about the polarization in America and how we all need to talk to each other and find common ground. It’s a beautiful world indeed….
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Or the prospect of defenestration will become more remote.
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who ever believed differently? What republican has behaved in any way that is not transactional in nature? At least since Bush II, the entire party has become parasitic.
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As soon as Susan Collins said that she would NOT vote to confirm Blanche, I was certain that Trump didn’t need her vote because he knew Blanche would be confirmed. Collins is never allowed to “be independent” if her vote is needed.
I have always believed that John McCain knew this about Collins, which is why McCain waited to publicly announce his vote against repealing Obamacare until after Collins (and Murkowski) had already cast their votes. He probably didn’t believe they would stand up to any pressure by Trump and Trump’s Republican servants in the Senate.
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Excellent point about McCain.
Collins votes “no” only when she knows the bill will pass without her vote.
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“Where’s my Roy Cohn?” Here. Here he is, Donny. Any hope of transparency regarding the Epstein files just flew out the window like many a Putin critic. And you can bet that Cassidy, Cornyn and Tillis all got their Tom Homan-style big bag o’ cash for aiding and abetting the Nodfather’s continued relentless dismantling of our democracy.
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They were either threatened or paid off. Which do you think it was? They had nothing to lose by voting against Blanche.
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It was one or the other or both. Do you recall that Lindsay Graham was a staunch vocal critic who did a sudden 180 after a single private round of golf with Trump? One of Trump’s banks cut off his plethora of accounts this week after finding evidence of money laundering which for me suggests laundering Russian mob money like his casinos did. And it’s well known that the Kremlin are masters at gathering Kompromat to control their adversaries. Trump has access to whatever material the Russian government possesses. I knew they would cave the moment Murkowski and Collins started up their shop-worn Kabuki theater performances.
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