US President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Todd Blanche, appears on track to become the next US attorney general after two Republican senators dropped their opposition to his nomination.
Blanche's Senate confirmation has been held up by concerns from senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis over a $1.8 billion fund for alleged victims of politically motivated prosecution and a tax audit immunity deal with the Republican president.
Blanche issued a written order over the weekend scrapping the "anti-weaponisation fund" and said the audit immunity agreement with Trump would only apply "retroactively" to past tax years and not future filings.
"We have enjoyed good faith discussions, and as a result, issue the following order and update with regard to the May IRS settlement," Blanche said in a statement.
Cornyn and Tillis, both of whom are leaving the Senate in January, welcomed Blanche's moves in a statement on Monday and said they "look forward to voting to advance his nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee soon."
A vote in the committee, where Republicans hold a narrow 12-10 majority, is scheduled for Tuesday and the full Republican-controlled Senate is expected to weigh in on Blanche's nomination later in the week.
Democratic opposition
Senate Democrats are united in their opposition to Blanche's nomination.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that Blanche's so-called 'deal' does nothing, nothing to stop the Internal Revenue Service deal for Trump.
The out-of-court settlement stems from Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over the illegal disclosure of his tax records by an agency contractor.
Blanche has also come in for criticism from victims of Jeffrey Epstein over his handling of the release of investigative files about the convicted sex offender.
Blanche has served as acting attorney general since Trump fired Pam Bondi in April.
