A legal and political firestorm is intensifying over the $1.776 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund launched by Donald Trump's justice department, which critics from both parties and legal scholars have labelled a corrupt 'slush fund' that improperly benefits January 6 rioters and the former president.
The fund, unveiled by acting attorney general Todd Blanche on 18 May to settle a $10 billion lawsuit Trump filed against the IRS, has drawn sharp criticism for an 'addendum' that blocks IRS action on pending tax probes of Trump, his sons and their businesses. A bipartisan group of 35 ex-federal judges filed a motion on 27 May to reopen the case, alleging the settlement involved fraud on the court.
In an extraordinary turnaround, the Miami judge overseeing the case reopened Trump's lawsuit against the IRS on 29 May to explore whether the court had been deceived. Separately, a Virginia federal judge temporarily blocked further moves to set up the fund until at least a hearing on 12 June, responding to a lawsuit by a former January 6 prosecutor and others claiming Trump administration attacks.
Ex-DoJ officials have been sharply critical. Former inspector general Michael Bromwich called the fund 'crazy and corrupt', describing it as 'an attempted political payoff to criminals'. Former deputy attorney general Donald Ayer labelled it 'outright theft', adding that the IRS addendum provides 'blank check immunity' for Trump and his affiliates.
Trump defended the fund, telling ABC News: 'We are subject to the courts.' The DoJ announced on Monday it would abide by the court ruling temporarily blocking the fund. Axios reported the fund is 'for now' dead, citing unnamed sources.
