*** growing number of Senate Republicans are becoming more frustrated over two things funding for the president’s ballroom and *** newly announced anti-weaponization fund. On Thursday, Republicans left Washington without voting on an immigration enforcement funding bill after the Trump administration tried pushing lawmakers to include $1 billion in security money for the White House and the ballroom. Now *** larger issue boiling over is this nearly 1.8. billion dollars anti-weaponization fund announced by the Justice Department to compensate people who say they were politically targeted by the government. Some Republicans are pushing back against the use of these taxpayer funds and questioning why people prosecuted for their involvement in the January 6th riot could apply for the money. These people don’t deserve restitution. Many of them deserve to be in prison. Some of them deserve the pardon because they were overprosecuted. But this is, uh, I mean this is just stupid on stilts. We’ll do everything we can to stop this slush fund, whether it’s in the courts, whether it’s legislative, whether it’s through reconciliation or any other legislative means. On Thursday afternoon, *** bipartisan bill was introduced in the House to shut down this anti-weaponization fund on Capitol Hill. I’m Rachel Hirsheimer.
Trump administration to drop $1.8B ‘anti-weaponization’ fund, according to reports
Amid legal and political pushback, the Trump administration is planning to drop the $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund created to compensate people who say they were targeted by “lawfare” under previous administrations, according to sources.Axios first reported the administration’s forthcoming decision, with Punchbowl and MS Now later confirming it.The administration established the fund to resolve President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns.A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from proceeding with the settlement fund, halting its formation or any potential payouts for at least the next two weeks. The Justice Department announced Monday that, while it disagreed with the ruling, it will comply.”This Fund was open to anybody who was so weaponized, targeted, or persecuted, whether they were Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Independent, or otherwise. The Department will abide by the Court’s ruling,” the department said on social media.The fund has generated a fierce backlash since it was announced last week, with even Republicans pressing acting Attorney General Todd Blanche over the eligibility considerations and the possibility that even violent rioters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, would be free to seek compensation.Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated Monday he was hopeful the White House would move to drop the fund.“I do think the best way to handle it is if the administration decides to shut it down themselves,” Thune told reporters.Thune, of South Dakota, previously said that the settlement money — some of which could potentially go to Trump supporters who beat police and attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 — was complicating the GOP’s agenda. It “just makes everything way harder than it should be,” he said.During a congressional hearing, Blanche wouldn’t rule out the possibility that rioters who assaulted police on Jan. 6 could be eligible for fund payouts.Nearly 1,600 people were charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Over 1,200 were convicted and sentenced before Trump handed out mass pardons, commuted prison sentences and ordered the dismissal of every pending Jan. 6 criminal case last year.The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Amid legal and political pushback, the Trump administration is planning to drop the $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund created to compensate people who say they were targeted by “lawfare” under previous administrations, according to sources.
Axios first reported the administration’s forthcoming decision, with Punchbowl and MS Now later confirming it.
The administration established the fund to resolve President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns.
A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from proceeding with the settlement fund, halting its formation or any potential payouts for at least the next two weeks.
The Justice Department announced Monday that, while it disagreed with the ruling, it will comply.
“This Fund was open to anybody who was so weaponized, targeted, or persecuted, whether they were Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Independent, or otherwise. The Department will abide by the Court’s ruling,” the department said on social media.
The fund has generated a fierce backlash since it was announced last week, with even Republicans pressing acting Attorney General Todd Blanche over the eligibility considerations and the possibility that even violent rioters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, would be free to seek compensation.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated Monday he was hopeful the White House would move to drop the fund.
“I do think the best way to handle it is if the administration decides to shut it down themselves,” Thune told reporters.
Thune, of South Dakota, previously said that the settlement money — some of which could potentially go to Trump supporters who beat police and attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 — was complicating the GOP’s agenda. It “just makes everything way harder than it should be,” he said.
During a congressional hearing, Blanche wouldn’t rule out the possibility that rioters who assaulted police on Jan. 6 could be eligible for fund payouts.
Nearly 1,600 people were charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Over 1,200 were convicted and sentenced before Trump handed out mass pardons, commuted prison sentences and ordered the dismissal of every pending Jan. 6 criminal case last year.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
