Senate Judiciary Committee reports Todd Blanche; Abigail Slater also advanced amid debate on following court orders

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted 12-10 to report the nomination of Todd Blanche to be deputy attorney general and 20-2 to report Abigail Slater for an assistant attorney general position, after an extended and at times heated discussion about nominees' commitments to follow court orders and the independence of the Department of Justice.

The debate centered on whether senior Justice Department officials must unequivocally state they would follow court orders they personally regard as morally repugnant. Senator Durbin warned that recent statements from the administration risk undermining longstanding checks and balances and cautioned that nominees who equivocate on obeying court orders raise “serious, existential, constitutional questions.” He said the precedents being set could weaken independent agencies and the rule of law.

Supporters of Blanche said nominees faced…