Nothing says "I'm totally over it" quite like using your final weeks in office to torpedo your own party's nominee because a document wasn't worded to your liking. That's exactly what two departing Republican senators pulled off this Wednesday, as USA Journal reported, when John Cornyn and Thom Tillis managed to accomplish something the entire Democratic caucus failed to do: block Todd Blanche from getting a committee vote for Attorney General.
Let's set the scene. Cornyn got bounced in his Senate primary by Ken Paxton after Trump threw his endorsement behind Paxton. Tillis chose not to run again. Neither of these gentlemen will be returning to Congress. So naturally, they decided to spend their remaining time in Washington doing something truly productive: quibbling over sentence structure in a legal document.
And here's the chef's kiss moment. Tillis himself called the whole disagreement "just a drafting exercise." He openly acknowledged that both sides agree on the actual substance. Everyone wants the same outcome. But the specific arrangement of words on paper wasn't satisfactory enough, so the committee vote for the guy already running the Justice Department got yanked like a tablecloth at a bad magic show.
The dispute centers on a settlement from Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. A contractor named Charles Littlejohn stole Trump's confidential tax records and leaked them to journalists. Littlejohn ended up in prison. The IRS signed a settlement that included audit protections for Trump and related entities covering prior years. Cornyn wanted explicit language clarifying that future filings wouldn't get the same protection. The Justice Department said that's already understood. Cornyn demanded it in writing. The written language showed up Wednesday evening. The vote was still canceled anyway.
You really cannot make this stuff up.
Trump offered his own analysis of the situation, suggesting Cornyn might be harboring some feelings about not getting that presidential endorsement. Cornyn denied any such motivation, calling it a "convenient excuse." Sure, John. A guy who just got replaced by the candidate Trump picked over him is definitely acting with zero emotional baggage whatsoever.
Meanwhile, Blanche is already at the DOJ delivering results on violent crime, border enforcement, and energy policy as acting Attorney General. But heaven forbid we confirm him officially because two senators on their farewell tour got hung up on legal phrasing.
The entire Democratic caucus voted against Blanche during his confirmation hearing and couldn't stop him. Two Republicans heading for the exits decided they'd handle it instead. Senator Grassley should slap that confirmation vote right back on the schedule and let Cornyn and Tillis cast their votes in broad daylight where Republican voters in Texas and North Carolina can watch.
Because "drafting exercise" is not a compelling reason to leave the nation's top law enforcement agency without a confirmed leader heading into midterm season. This is what happens when outgoing politicians realize they have nothing left to lose and apparently nothing better to do.
Read more conservative news commentary at: USA Journal News
