An outgoing Republican senior senator brushed aside a dig by President Donald Trump as a "convenient excuse" for recent frustrations.
On Wednesday, reporters swarmed Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) as they sought any hint of how he would vote on the confirmation of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Cornyn has remained silent on whether he'll vote to confirm Blanche, who can't afford to lose even one Republican vote if every Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee votes against his confirmation.
One reporter told Cornyn, "President Trump noted that he didn't endorse you," referring to the fact that Cornyn lost his bid for reelection in May to the Trump-endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
"He's kind of openly speculating whether or not that might have something to do with this," the reporter continued. Cornyn, however, shut down the idea that he's leaving Blanche's future uncertain as a way to get back at Trump's role in his primary.
"Think that's a convenient excuse for not cooperating with the judiciary committee," Cornyn said. Blanche has come under criticism for his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, including for refusing to say that he'll put in writing his vow that the anti-weaponization fund, which critics feared would benefit Trump allies, is dead.
Blanche's path narrowed sharply after Sen. Lindsey Graham's death left Judiciary Committee Republicans with just one vote to lose. Cornyn isn't the only question mark, though. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) has said he won't support Blanche unless he agrees to meet personally with women abused by Jeffrey Epstein.