WASHINGTON — A lot of focus is on U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski as Republican leaders try to round up the votes to confirm Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general.
Murkowski’s vote could be pivotal, but she rebuffed all questions about how she’ll vote as a pack of reporters pursued her through the Senate Wednesday.
Chad Pergram, a senior Capitol Hill reporter for Fox News, shifted to asking how she’ll decide.
“I am not commenting on Todd Blanche,” Murkowski said again, while a dozen reporters stretched their recording devices at her.
Pergram tried again. Murkowski responded with a few more words.
“I am not commenting on where I am with the Blanche nomination right now,” she said. “How's that?”
“That's better than the first one,” Pergram said.
Murkowski escaped onto a Senate train car to go back to her office building, along with three interns, and allowed Alaska Public Media to join them.
When again asked about Blanche, Murkowski punted to the young men in navy blue suits.
“And what is the response, you guys?” she asked.
The interns — Owen Umatum and Soren Getti from Anchorage, and Leif Anderson from Fairbanks — replied in perfect unison: “No comment!”
Pressure is building on Murkowski, one of the few Republicans willing to break with Trump. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has already said she’ll vote no. If Murkowski and one more Republican defect, it would kill the Blanche nomination.
Virginia Canter, chief counsel for ethics and anti-corruption at Democracy Defenders Fund, is one of the advocates hoping Murkowski votes no.
Canter said as deputy and now acting attorney general, Blanche has shown he’ll use his authority to exonerate Trump’s friends and prosecute the president’s enemies.
The attorney general “has basically become the de facto private attorney for the president,” she said. “Only they carry with it all of the awesome powers of law enforcement.”
Most Republican senators are voting yes, including Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who said Blanche is doing a great job.
“Among other things, Mr. Blanche has led major successes in thwarting federal program fraud, ending racial discrimination and restoring the safety of every American,” Grassley, chair of the Judiciary Committee, said just before the panel voted to advance Blanche’s nomination Tuesday.
While Murkowski revealed little to reporters, in a letter to a constituent this week, she described several “concerns” that she said she raised with Blanche. They include, she wrote, “Mr. Blanche's ability to exercise independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of Attorney General given his previous relationship as President Trump’s personal attorney.”
Another concern, Murkowski said, is a controversial settlement between the Justice Department and Trump, ostensibly to resolve his $10 billion privacy lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. The deal included a provision to shield Trump and his family from current and future IRS tax audits.
Murkowski's letter also says her talks with Blanche have been productive, and she was impressed with his recent visit to rural Alaska communities.
A vote is expected before the Senate leaves for its August recess. Murkowski said no one needs to ask her about it until she’s made up her mind.
“I'm going to have a statement when I've got a statement, and everybody can just stand down,” she said.
