Bipartisan Opposition Grows Against Trump’s $1.8 Billion Slush Fund |
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Lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties are pushing back against a so-called “anti-weaponization” fund, established by President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice (DOJ), that is ostensibly designed to provide financial compensation to individuals who feel they’ve been unfairly targeted by the federal government.
The fund was created following Trump’s decision to drop a $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), over that agency’s leaking of his and his family’s tax documents during his first term as president. Instead of pursuing the lawsuit, Trump reportedly entered into a settlement wherein a fund, totaling $1.776 billion, could provide compensation to his loyalists who believe they were wrongly investigated or convicted — including individuals who took part in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The settlement is being questioned, as Trump has considerable say over the direction of the agencies and departments involved.
In addition to the fund (which many critics are describing as a “slush fund”), acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed off on another aspect of the settlement, giving Trump and his family immunity from future IRS audits or investigations relating to his previously filed tax returns.
On Wednesday, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) submitted a bill........