Exclusive | Thune predicts Todd Blanche and JayClayton are in pretty good shape ahead of fiery confirmation hearings

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader John Thune is feeling upbeat about the chances of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Director of National Intelligence nominee Jay Clayton getting confirmed ahead of their hearings Wednesday.Blanche was at the center of a GOP revolt last month over the since-scrapped DOJ $1.776 billion weaponization fund, and Clayton’s confirmation was derailed after Trump demanded his pick to succeed the prosecutor at the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office be approved first, allowing Bill Pulte to serve as acting DNI.“I know Blanche’s meetings are going really well.I mean, readouts have been real strong,” Thune (R-SD) told The Post.

“And same thing with Clayton.I mean … he’s been confirmed here before for SEC.”“I think you know, barring something unforeseen at the confirmation hearings coming up this week, they should both be in pretty good shape, and my expectation is to try to move them before August break.”Thune acknowledged that some lawmakers, such as Sens.

Thom Tillis (R-NC) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), had expressed reservations about Blanche over the weaponization fund in the past, but he was told they were having “very good conversations” with him.Blanche has been the acting head of the Justice Department since April 2, when Trump elevated him from his deputy attorney general post after firing Pam Bondi.The president tapped Blanche, his onetime personal attorney, to serve in his Cabinet permanently about two months later.

Police unions representing more than 670,000 officers, 300 angel families and 100 bipartisan DOJ officials “spanning the Reagan, H.W.Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump and Biden administrations” have all written to Congress voicing their support for Blanche’s nomination, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said Tuesday.

Former Attorney General John Ashcroft, who served under former President George W.Bush; Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association Presiden...