Murkowski Comments On Vote

Sen. Lisa Murkowski has officially done what plenty of Republicans suspected she might do: she is opposing Todd Blanche for attorney general.

The Alaska Republican had been quiet about Blanche’s nomination for weeks, refusing to say exactly where she stood. That left plenty of room for speculation. Now there is no mystery left.

Murkowski released a statement Thursday saying that while she found Blanche “decent and capable,” she ultimately could not support putting him in charge of the Department of Justice.

So, apparently, nice meetings and a trip to Alaska only get you so far.

“I have had numerous constructive meetings with Mr. Blanche and he comes across as decent and capable,” Murkowski said. “I appreciate the trip he made to learn more about Alaska, including our rural areas, and as Acting Attorney General he has made several noteworthy decisions that will benefit our state and the nation.”

Then came the sentence that mattered.

“Ultimately, however, I will oppose his nomination.”

And there went another Republican vote.

Murkowski explained that her concerns center on what she sees as the growing politicization of the Justice Department. She argued that the problem did not begin under President Donald Trump’s administration, but claimed it has become worse.

She pointed to several issues, including the handling of the Epstein files, immunity protections involving Trump and members of his family, statements made to anti-abortion groups, and what she described as the alleged targeting of former administration officials and sitting U.S. senators.

“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” Murkowski said.

That is not exactly the kind of endorsement Republicans were hoping to hear from one of their own senators.