The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on Todd Blanche's nomination as Deputy Attorney General, with a $1.8 billion IRS funding conflict blocking progress. Republican Senators Cornyn and Tillis are the main holdouts, delaying confirmation not because of policy concerns but over budget issues tied to the IRS.
Blanche's previous role dismantled the DOJ's crypto enforcement unit, signaling a potential shift towards lighter regulation for Bitcoin, XRP, and crypto ETFs if he is confirmed. This makes the upcoming vote key for the crypto sector, which has been closely watching DOJ enforcement trends.
The nomination is also tangled in broader debates over the CLARITY Act, an ethics-related bill impacting DOJ powers. The Senate's decision will ripple through federal crypto enforcement and IRS funding, affecting market confidence and regulatory approaches.
