On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to advance the nomination of Todd Blanche for the position of U.S. Attorney General. Blanche, who previously served as President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer and currently holds the role of deputy attorney general, has been serving as the acting attorney general since the resignation of Pam Bondi in April.

The committee’s decision to move forward with the nomination was contingent upon a significant policy shift. Blanche formally agreed to scrap a $1.8 billion fund that had been established through a settlement of a lawsuit brought by the president. This fund had been a point of contention among Republican holdouts, who had previously expressed reservations regarding the nomination. By dismantling the fund, Blanche secured the necessary support from within the committee to proceed to the next stage of the confirmation process.

While the vote fell strictly along party lines, the resolution of the settlement fund issue appears to have been the primary catalyst for overcoming the internal opposition that had stalled the process. The nomination now moves forward despite ongoing scrutiny regarding Blanche’s previous professional relationship with the president and his rapid ascent within the Department of Justice. The committee’s action marks a pivotal moment in the administration’s efforts to solidify its leadership within the Justice Department, though it remains to be seen how the broader Senate will react to the nomination during the full floor vote.