Sen. Bill Cassidy backs Todd Blanche for AG
Cassidy said his vote would support Blanche’s confirmation and could be decisive.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates NBC New York, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
NBC News is an established news organization with named reporters, and the article attributes key assessments and quotations to the people making them. The local NBC page carries an NBC News byline, indicating this is work produced elsewhere in the NBC organization.
- Source type — An established news organization, republished on a local NBC outlet.
- Editorial standards — The report uses attributed quotations and distinguishes claims from reported events.
- Author attribution — Three NBC News journalists are named.
The article includes statements from senators on both sides of the nomination and contrasting accounts of Blanche’s meeting with survivors. It offers useful detail about the concerns and assurances but gives limited independent context on the fund and the administration’s perspective.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The report presents the central senators’ opposing positions and includes Blanche’s response to criticism of his meeting with survivors. It does not provide a fuller response from the administration to Murkowski’s broader concerns about the Justice Department or the fund.
- Counterarguments presented — Both support and opposition to Blanche’s nomination are represented.
- Source diversity — Includes senators, Blanche and a survivor, though the article relies mainly on political and participant statements.
- Omitted context — The administration’s fuller response to concerns about the Justice Department and fund is not included.
The article reports the competing positions on Blanche’s nomination in largely neutral language. Its criticism-related claims are attributed to senators, survivors or Democrats rather than stated as the article’s own conclusions.
- Language tone — Mostly descriptive language, with charged terms presented as quotations or attributed claims.
- Source selection — Includes supportive and opposing positions on the nomination, along with Blanche’s account of his meeting.
- Framing — Focuses on the likely effect of Cassidy’s announced vote and the confirmation prospects.
Republished with credit
Republished from NBC News, with credit to the original publisher.
107 stories · 86–87 · updated Oct 1, 2026
This is NBC News's own score, and this article is credited to NBC News. The host score in the Source Check is NBC New York's.
Sen. Bill Cassidy said he will vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general, a decision the article says is likely to secure Blanche’s confirmation. Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced she will oppose him, citing concerns about the Justice Department and the proposed anti-weaponization fund.
Cassidy said he would support Blanche after weighing concerns about what he called episodes of apparent lawfare. The article reports that Cassidy’s vote was likely decisive, with Republicans needing support from 50 of their 53 senators to confirm Blanche. Murkowski said she would oppose the nomination, while Sen. Susan Collins had also announced opposition.
Murkowski cited concerns about politicization of the Justice Department, its handling of files in the Jeffrey Epstein case, and the proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund. The article also describes Blanche’s efforts to address senators’ concerns, including providing written assurances and meeting privately with survivors; survivor Dani Bensky called that meeting not productive or substantive, while Blanche described it in opposite terms.
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Attorney general nominee whose confirmation prospects are discussed
Blanche's version of this story ↗
Senator who announced she would oppose Todd Blanche’s nomination
Murkowski's version of this story ↗
Senator who had announced opposition to Blanche’s nomination
President who selected Blanche and criticized Murkowski
Defense secretary whose nomination McConnell had opposed
Senator whose absence left his vote unavailable
Health and Human Services secretary whose nomination McConnell had opposed
Senator who withheld support and pressed Blanche to meet with survivors
Senator who withheld support over concerns about Blanche’s Justice Department leadership
Part of a bigger story
21 OUTLETSOutlets agree Bill Cassidy said he would support Todd Blanche’s confirmation as attorney general, a move described as likely to secure or clear a path to confirmation. Left-leaning outlets stress criticism of Cassidy’s vote and argue his stated case does not resolve concerns about Blanche or Trump’s influence over the Justice Department. Center outlets present Cassidy’s endorsement alongside his reservations about the proposed fund and tax agreement, and the opposition of Murkowski and Collins. Right-leaning outlets emphasize that Cassidy’s support could clear Blanche’s path to confirmation, with HotAir treating it as a sensible alternative to opposition.
- ARTICLES
- 23
- OUTLETS
- 21
- AVG CRED
- 65
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