Justice Department Dangles Alaska Windfall for Murkowski Vote as Blanche Faces 1 Key Holdout
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jul 22
Justice Department Dangles Alaska Windfall for Murkowski Vote as Blanche Faces 1 Key Holdout
1 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jul 22
Summary
Lisa Murkowski remains undecided on acting Attorney General Blanche’s confirmation even after the Justice Department delivered Alaska policy wins that Republicans see as aimed at securing her vote.
DOJ has paired those Alaska moves with other tailored concessions: Blanche met Epstein victims after Thom Tillis demanded it and drafted language killing the “anti-weaponization fund” to satisfy Tillis and John Cornyn.
Murkowski’s office said she will judge Blanche on his qualifications, experience, temperament and independence if he advances from the Judiciary Committee.
DOJ denied any quid pro quo, saying the Alaska cases had been litigated for years and Blanche’s Alaska trip had been scheduled earlier before being rebooked for July.
Murkowski has a long record of trading swing votes for Alaska gains, including backing a 180,000-barrel-a-day ConocoPhillips project in 2023 and last year’s GOP megabill after drilling and hospital concessions.