Major win for president as former personal lawyer wins approval despite outcry over $1.8bn slush fund

The US senate voted to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general in a major win for Donald Trump, who will now have his one-time personal attorney sitting atop the nation’s law enforcement apparatus.

Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana cast the deciding vote in Blanche’s favor after two other Republicans – Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska – voted against him. Every Democrat rejected Blanche’s nomination.

“Mr Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this, but the choice is not between perfection and Mr Blanche,” Cassidy said Friday on the senate floor announcing his decision. “It is between Mr Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump and who indeed may not be as good as Mr Blanche.”

The vote came after Blanche’s nomination had been in limbo for weeks. He faced pushback from Republican senators over the department’s deal to create a $1.8bn so-called “anti-weaponization fund” and to give the president, his sons, and business tax immunity.