More than a dozen Republican senators have reportedly asked President Donald Trump’s top aides to eliminate the nearly $1.8 billion so-called “slush fund” that could allow allies, such as January 6 rioters, to obtain millions in taxpayer money. The fund, officially named the “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” was created by the Justice Department to compensate individuals who believe they were unfairly prosecuted under the Obama and Biden administrations.
Political and Legal Backlash Mounts
Lawmakers, politicians, commentators, and the public have expressed outrage over the $1.776 billion fund. As Trump faces a record-low approval rating, some allies worry that the fund’s existence, amid high gas prices and rising grocery costs, could hurt Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
Even loyalists like Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina have privately urged Trump to drop the fund, according to the report. Publicly, some Republicans have joined Democrats in condemning it. Senator Thom Tillis called it “stupid on stilts,” while Senator Mitch McConnell deemed it “utterly stupid, morally wrong.” Senator John Curtis declared he did not like the fund “at all.”
Closed-Door Confrontations
The new report follows revelations from Senator Ted Cruz that Republican colleagues were “screaming” at Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche during a closed-door meeting about the fund last week. Blanche, who announced the fund as a settlement of a lawsuit between Trump, his adult sons, and his business against the IRS, faced intense pushback from members of the president’s own party.
“Fiery does not begin to cut it,” Cruz said on his podcast “Verdict with Ted Cruz.” “My guess is there’re probably 45 senators in the room, at least half of them were blasting the attorney general, and they were pissed.”
Impact on Legislative Agenda
Lawmakers were so taken aback by the fund’s creation that it delayed a Senate vote to fund Trump’s signature immigration enforcement agenda. As a result, some of the president’s aides have considered axing the $1.776 billion fund in exchange for passing immigration enforcement funding, those familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.
Already, the fund faces legal challenges that have temporarily paused it. On Friday, a federal judge ordered the administration to cease moving forward with the fund until she determines whether it should be paused longer. Administration officials are reportedly growing concerned about the fund’s viability, and while Trump has not agreed to drop it, he has told allies he understands the problem, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Democrats have slammed the fund, calling it “depraved,” a “fraud on the country,” and a “gross misuse of taxpayer dollars.” The Independent has sought comment from Graham’s office, the White House, and the Justice Department.
