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Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) raised eyebrows on Friday with his argument for why he was willing to vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general.
CNN’s Aaron Blake summed up part of Cassidy’s 6-minute floor speech and noted, “Cassidy suggests Blanche would be better able to push back on Trump if he’s a Senate-confirmed, full AG.”
“Cassidy also suggests an alternative wouldn’t be as capable,” Blake later added.
Former CBS News correspondent Scott MacFarlane offered a similar observation, writing on X, “This is quite something Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) is arguing that Todd Blanche will have more leverage against Trump after he’s Senate confirmed. That’s Cassidy’s thesis.”
“Make of it what you want,” he concluded.
Well, many of Cassidy’s critics did just that and torched the outgoing Republican senator who earlier in the week said he was concerned about “lawfare” under Todd Blanche’s DOJ, where he is currently the acting attorney general. Cassidy concluded his remarks in support of Blanche, noting, “I’ll be criticized for this vote – what’s new?”
Politico legal affairs reporter Josh Gerstein shared Blake’s comment and noted a hole in Cassidy’s argument: “Trump can fire the AG just like he can fire the acting AG. One of those things he’s already done twice.”
Veteran conservative lawyer Gregg Nunziata replied, “I find this argument ridiculous. To confirm Blanche is not to better push back on Trump. To confirm Blanche is to legitimize the corrupt abuse of prosecutorial power and further sideline the Senate. It’s a failure of checks & balances, an abdication.”
Below are some additional reactions:
What a stupid argument. https://t.co/3zbXlLYZPB
— George Conway
(@gtconway3d) August 7, 2026
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The post Critics Absolutely Demolish Bill Cassidy’s ‘Ridiculous’ Argument For Voting For Todd Blanche first appeared on Mediaite.
