Todd Blanche confirmation: Susan Collins says she is a 'no'
Collins said she plans to oppose Blanche’s confirmation, citing concerns about the Justice Department’s independence.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYThe Boston Globe is an established newspaper with professional reporting and editorial standards. The article names its sources in the reporting, though the author is not identified here.
- Source type — Established national newspaper with a record of original reporting.
- Editorial standards — A professional newsroom is likely to apply editorial review, though details are not shown in this article.
- Author attribution — The article text does not identify the reporter.
- Transparency — The reporting attributes key claims to Collins and describes the Senate process.
The article gives a clear account of Collins’s stated reasoning and the nomination’s progress, with specific details about the settlement and the fund. It relies substantially on Collins’s account and does not include a response from Blanche or the administration.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The story provides procedural context and includes the actions of other senators, but Collins’s explanation is the main account of why Blanche’s nomination is opposed. No direct response from Blanche or the administration is included.
- Source diversity — The story quotes Collins but does not include a direct response from Blanche or administration officials.
- Counterarguments presented — It notes Blanche was described by Collins as capable and reports his order halting the fund, but does not present a defense of his actions.
- Opinion vs reporting — The article is written as reporting, and attributes Collins’s criticisms to her.
- Loaded language — The article uses restrained language overall.
The article reports Collins’s opposition and the nomination’s political context in straightforward language. It does not use notably partisan framing, though it gives more detail to Collins’s rationale than to Blanche’s response.
- Language tone — Mostly descriptive language, with evaluative claims attributed to Collins.
- Framing — Centers on Collins’s planned vote and its possible effect on confirmation.
- Source selection — Reports Collins’s stated rationale but does not include a response from Blanche or the administration.
Susan Collins said she plans to vote against Todd Blanche’s confirmation as attorney general, citing concerns that the Justice Department has become increasingly political. Her opposition could narrow Blanche’s margin for confirmation in the Senate.
Collins said Tuesday that she plans to oppose President Trump’s pick for attorney general, Todd Blanche. She described Blanche as a capable lawyer but said his actions, including approving a settlement involving Trump and the IRS, had further eroded the Justice Department’s independence. Blanche issued an order Sunday stating that a fund created under the settlement would not move forward.
Community verdict
21 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →Senator from Maine announcing opposition to Todd Blanche’s attorney general confirmation
Attorney general nominee and acting attorney general
Blanche's version of this story ↗Former attorney general replaced by Blanche as acting attorney general
President whose attorney general nominee is the subject of Collins’s planned opposition
Senator whose possible absence could affect Blanche’s confirmation margin
Senator who threatened to block Blanche’s nomination unless the fund was halted and later voted to advance it
Candidate whose campaign was described as having imploded after an accusation of sexual assault
Democratic Senate candidate and Collins’s opponent
Senator who threatened to block Blanche’s nomination unless the fund was halted and later voted to advance it
Part of a bigger story
12 OUTLETSOutlets agree Susan Collins said she will vote against Todd Blanche’s nomination to become attorney general, citing concerns about the Justice Department’s independence. Left-leaning outlets pair that rationale with criticism of Blanche and the Trump administration, while some also question Collins’s record or credibility. Center outlets report her stated rationale and place her vote in the broader Senate confirmation picture, including its possible effect on Blanche’s prospects. Right-leaning outlets emphasize that her opposition could complicate confirmation and discuss the votes Blanche may need.
- ARTICLES
- 13
- OUTLETS
- 12
- AVG CRED
- 63
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