WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawmakers on Tuesday that he could not commit to barring money from US President Donald Trump’s newly announced “weaponization” fund from going to people who assaulted police officers, including during the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Blanche, in his first congressional testimony since ascending to the top of the Justice Department after Pam Bondi’s firing last month, also told Democratic senators that he could not commit to barring any of the nearly $1.8 billion from the settlement from going to Trump campaign donors.

The Justice Department on Monday created a nearly $1.8 billion fund to compensate victims of political “weaponization” to settle a lawsuit Trump had filed against his own government over the alleged mishandling of his tax records.

The pool of money will be controlled by Trump allies who can give payments to those who claim to have suffered “weaponization or lawfare” by the US government. A one-page document signed by Blanche and released Tuesday said the IRS is “forever barred” from pursuing any related investigation into Trump or his relatives, including into any tax returns filed before Monday.

In questioning, Blanche denied that Trump “set up” the settlement fund. He said the five-member settlement commission, four of whom he will directly appoint, will act independently. And he argued that former president Barack Obama’s Justice Department had........

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