John Curtis makes decision on Trump's attorney general nominee, as one of few Senate holdouts

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Sen. John Curtis will vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general when he comes up for a vote in the Senate, slightly easing the Trump administration nominee's so far rocky path to confirmation.

Curtis announced he would back Blanche's nomination after meeting with the acting attorney general last week to discuss a handful of issues specific to Utah, such as public land disputes and an ongoing lawsuit between the Justice Department and the Beehive State. In a statement shared first with the Deseret News, Curtis said he got the assurances he needed on those issues as well as on a controversial DOJ anti-weaponization fund.

"After having robust discussions with Todd Blanche and following his nomination process in the Judiciary Committee, I will support his confirmation," Curtis said. "I've been pleased with his receptivity and understanding of the issues raised by my colleagues and me, including the anti-weaponization fund and a number of Utah-specific priorities. I look forward to working with him once confirmed."

With Curtis' backing, Blanche's path forward is made slightly easier. Still, he faces an uphill battle to secure enough support among Republicans to cinch the position.

Blanche's nomination advanced through the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning, marking a crucial step after days of negotiations with a pair of Republican holdouts threatening to stall his nomination. Blanche announced an agreement on Sunday to formally rescind a proposed $1.78 billion anti-weaponization fund, a key demand that ultimately won over the support needed to advance.

However, there are a handful of other Republican senators who remain undecided on Blanche's nomination. With current margins and the expected absence of Sen. Mitch McConnell, GOP leaders can only afford two defections.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, praised the deal rescinding the DOJ anti-weaponization fund, but she said she'd like to know more about the negotiations leading up to the agreement before signing off. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, echoed similar sentiments.

Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., declined to comment on Blanche's nomination at all on Monday, making it unclear if he plans to support his nomination when it's brought to the floor.

Senate GOP leaders hope to tee up a final vote to confirm Blanche as attorney general before the end of the week, after which the chamber is scheduled to adjourn for its annual August recess. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters on Tuesday that "ideally, we'd like to get him done" before leaving town but stopped short of guaranteeing a vote.

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