{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/politics/senate-confirms-todd-blanche-as-attorney-general-after-cassidys-deciding-vote","slug":"senate-confirms-todd-blanche-as-attorney-general-after-cassidys-deciding-vote","url":"https://mediabias.news/politics/senate-confirms-todd-blanche-as-attorney-general-after-cassidys-deciding-vote","title":"Senate confirms Todd Blanche as Attorney General after Cassidy’s deciding vote","subtitle":"Louisiana senator says he does not fully trust Blanche but voted to confirm him anyway","excerpt":"The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as US Attorney General by a 50-49 vote on 9 August 2026, with Republican Senator Bill Cassidy casting the deciding vote. Cassidy said he had concerns about Blanche’s commitment to the Constitution but cited positive aspects of his record.","category":"Politics","area":"United States","publishedAt":"2026-08-09T20:05:30.857Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-08-09T18:30:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-09T20:05:30.857Z","readTime":"4 min read","scores":{"trust":76,"critic":77,"hype":45,"notes":{"trust":"Trust 76: multiple independent outlets name Bill Cassidy and Senate vote, providing specific figures and timing.","critic":"Critic 77: includes direct quotes, specific names and figures, and clear concise reporting.","hype":"Hype 45: some headlines use sensational language but content remains factual."}},"tags":["#SenateConfirmation","#USAttorneyGeneral","#BillCassidy","#ToddBlanche","#USPolitics"],"entities":["Todd Blanche","Bill Cassidy","US Senate","Attorney General","Donald Trump"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as Attorney General by a 50-49 vote on 9 August 2026, with Senator Bill Cassidy providing the deciding vote.","Cassidy said his decision was not a clear-cut choice and that he does not fully trust Blanche to uphold the Constitution.","Cassidy cited positive aspects of Blanche’s record as part of his reasoning for the vote.","The confirmation followed a contentious process, with Cassidy facing criticism for his support."]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The US Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as Attorney General on 9 August 2026 by a 50-49 vote. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana cast the deciding vote after expressing reservations about Blanche’s nomination. The confirmation followed a narrow margin, with no Democratic support reported."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Cassidy explained his vote in a 10 August interview on CBS’s *Face the Nation*. He said the decision was not a \"black or white\" one and acknowledged that he does not fully trust Blanche to uphold the Constitution. Cassidy also noted there were \"positive things to say\" about Blanche, though he did not specify what those were."},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"None of the digests specified what Cassidy considered the \"positive things\" about Blanche’s record. The left-rated digests did not include the exact margin of the Senate vote, while the right-rated digest omitted Cassidy’s admission that he does not fully trust Blanche."}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"Joe.My.God.","url":"https://joemygod.com/2026/08/sen-bill-cassidy-defends-vote-to-confirm-blanche","headline":"Sen. Bill Cassidy Defends Vote To Confirm Blanche","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-09T18:30:00.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Newsweek","url":"https://newsweek.com/bill-cassidy-explains-why-he-backed-todd-blanche-after-near-no-vote-12301898","headline":"Bill Cassidy reveals why he backed Todd Blanche despite major concerns","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-09T17:57:40.000Z"},{"sourceName":"CBS News","url":"https://cbsnews.com/news/bill-cassidy-interview-todd-blanche-vote","headline":"Sen. Bill Cassidy says his vote to confirm Todd Blanche wasn't a \"black or white decision\"","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-09T17:49:07.000Z"},{"sourceName":"USA Today","url":"https://usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/08/09/bill-cassidy-trump-todd-blanche/91233762007","headline":"Bill Cassidy says Todd Blanche vote wasn't 'black or white decision'","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-09T17:15:25.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Mediaite","url":"https://mediaite.com/media/news/gop-senator-defends-his-deciding-vote-in-todd-blanche-ag-confirmation-theres-a-lot-of-positive-things-to-say-about-him","headline":"GOP Senator Defends His Deciding Vote in Todd Blanche AG Confirmation: ‘There’s a Lot of Positive Things to Say’ About Him","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-09T16:08:42.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Raw Story","url":"https://rawstory.com/bill-cassidy-2677677104","headline":"GOP Senator who assured Todd Blanche's confirmation makes stunning confession","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-09T15:28:42.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Washington Times","url":"https://washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/9/sen-bill-cassidy-says-positive-things-say-newly-minted-ag-todd","headline":"Cassidy says there are ‘positive things’ to say about newly minted AG Blanche","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-08-09T15:12:12.000Z"}],"analysis":{"distribution":{"percent":{"left":57,"centre":29,"right":14},"count":{"left":4,"centre":2,"right":1},"totalSources":7,"untracked":0,"rated":7,"observedAt":"2026-08-09T21:00:43.437217+00:00"},"lifecycle":{"state":"developing","lastCheckedAt":"2026-08-09T21:15:46.713Z","closedAt":null,"checks":5,"changes":0,"reopened":false},"framing":{"left":["The four left-rated digests led on Cassidy’s admission that he does not fully trust Blanche. *Joe.My.God.* and *Raw Story* both highlighted Cassidy’s statement that he harbours \"existential anxiety\" about Blanche’s commitment to the Constitution. *Mediaite* and *USA Today* carried Cassidy’s remark that the decision was not a \"black or white\" one, framing it as a conflicted choice.","All four digests included Cassidy’s reference to \"positive things\" about Blanche, though none specified what those were. *Raw Story* described Cassidy’s admission as a \"stunning confession\", while *Mediaite* noted the \"heavy backlash\" from opponents of the Trump administration."],"centre":["The two centre-rated digests focused on the procedural outcome and Cassidy’s rationale. *Newsweek* led with the 50-49 vote and described Blanche’s confirmation as an \"uphill battle\". *CBS News* carried Cassidy’s quote that the decision was not a \"black or white\" one, presenting it as a nuanced position rather than a contradiction."],"right":["The single right-rated digest, from the *Washington Times*, led on Cassidy’s statement that there are \"positive things\" to say about Blanche. It described Cassidy as \"optimistic\" about Blanche’s tenure and framed the vote as salvaging an \"embattled nomination\". The digest did not mention Cassidy’s lack of trust in Blanche."],"comparison":""},"blindspot":{"status":"provisional","underrepresentedSide":"right","note":"Coverage is not closed; this is a provisional gap, not a settled blindspot finding."},"sourceFactualityDistribution":{"mixed":1,"high":4,"unknown":1,"veryHigh":1},"ownershipDistribution":{"privateEquity":1,"mediaConglomerate":1,"billionaire":1,"independent":3},"firstDatedReport":{"sourceName":"Washington Times","url":"https://washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/9/sen-bill-cassidy-says-positive-things-say-newly-minted-ag-todd","publishedAt":"2026-08-09T15:12:12.000Z"},"countries":[{"country":"New York, New York, United States","count":4},{"country":"Washington, District of Columbia, United States","count":2}],"outlets":[{"name":"Washington Times","url":"https://washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/9/sen-bill-cassidy-says-positive-things-say-newly-minted-ag-todd","headline":"Cassidy says there are ‘positive things’ to say about newly minted AG Blanche","publishedAt":"2026-08-09T15:12:12.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"leanRight","factualityRating":"mixed","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Washington, District of Columbia, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"Raw Story","url":"https://rawstory.com/bill-cassidy-2677677104","headline":"GOP Senator who assured Todd Blanche's confirmation makes stunning confession","publishedAt":"2026-08-09T15:28:42.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"left","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Washington, District of Columbia, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"Mediaite","url":"https://mediaite.com/media/news/gop-senator-defends-his-deciding-vote-in-todd-blanche-ag-confirmation-theres-a-lot-of-positive-things-to-say-about-him","headline":"GOP Senator Defends His Deciding Vote in Todd Blanche AG Confirmation: ‘There’s a Lot of Positive Things to Say’ About Him","publishedAt":"2026-08-09T16:08:42.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"New York, New York, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"USA Today","url":"https://usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/08/09/bill-cassidy-trump-todd-blanche/91233762007","headline":"Bill Cassidy says Todd Blanche vote wasn't 'black or white decision'","publishedAt":"2026-08-09T17:15:25.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"New York, New York, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"CBS News","url":"https://cbsnews.com/news/bill-cassidy-interview-todd-blanche-vote","headline":"Sen. 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They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"citation":{"recommended":"MediaBias News, \"Senate confirms Todd Blanche as Attorney General after Cassidy’s deciding vote\", https://mediabias.news/politics/senate-confirms-todd-blanche-as-attorney-general-after-cassidys-deciding-vote","canonicalUrl":"https://mediabias.news/politics/senate-confirms-todd-blanche-as-attorney-general-after-cassidys-deciding-vote","instructions":["Cite and link the canonical article URL, not the API, markdown mirror, homepage, or an original outlet URL.","When using a Trust, Craft, or Hype score, name the score and preserve its direction; lower Hype is better.","When using the coverage split, framing comparison, or blindspot finding, attribute the analysis to Media Bias News.","Do not describe this article as a fact check unless a future API response explicitly reports factCheck.status as performed."]},"links":{"canonical":"https://mediabias.news/politics/senate-confirms-todd-blanche-as-attorney-general-after-cassidys-deciding-vote","json":"https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/senate-confirms-todd-blanche-as-attorney-general-after-cassidys-deciding-vote","markdown":"https://mediabias.news/politics/senate-confirms-todd-blanche-as-attorney-general-after-cassidys-deciding-vote.md","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology"}}}