The Justice Department has already said it will not move ahead with the fund after widespread criticism from both sides of the aisle, but Cornyn questioned whether Trump could sue to reinstate the fund.
“Just to be clear, the president of the United States, who is the plaintiff in this lawsuit, has not agreed to in writing to delete the weaponization fund, and there is no guarantee that he or one of the other plaintiffs might raise that issue by way of a lawsuit, breach of contract lawsuit in the future,” Cornyn asked.
Blanche said he was not aware of plans by the president to do so, but affirmed the anti-weaponization fund could not be revived.
“There is no fund,” he said.
Cornyn has been increasingly critical of Trump after losing the GOP primary to Texas Attorney Ken Paxton, a longtime ally of the president, and has so far declined to say whether he will vote to confirm Blanche. With Democrats opposing Blanche’s nomination, Cornyn and U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., are critical votes if the judiciary committee is to advance the nomination to the Senate floor for a final vote.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Cornyn questioned whether the settlement with the IRS could also free Trump and his allies from liability for investigations by other federal agencies like the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Blanche said it would not, to which Cornyn replied, “I hear what you’re saying, but that’s not what I’m seeing in the agreement.”
Cornyn also asked Blanche whether he had discussed the settlement with Trump. The acting attorney general responded he did not while the settlement was under negotiation, only after it had been decided not to move ahead with the weaponization fund.
Earlier in the hearing, Cornyn recounted how he’d told Blanche during a private meeting that U.S. Attorney General was, “the hardest job in Washington D.C.”
“You are a member of the president’s cabinet, subject to dismissal and whatever the president wants, for any reason or no reason at all,” he said. “But then you will also have a duty as the chief law enforcement officer of the United States and I think it’s a very difficult balance.”