Senior Senate Democrats described the Justice Department’s $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund as a brazen scheme to distribute taxpayer money and demanded an independent audit of the program created through President Donald Trump’s IRS settlement.
Senators including Mark Warner and Elizabeth Warren said the fund lacks transparency requirements for identifying claimants who receive payouts. Warner planned to offer an amendment barring payments to political organizations and super PACs.
The fund emerged from Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over leaked tax records and will be administered by a commission appointed by the attorney general. Claimants may receive monetary awards or formal government apologies through 2028.
Democrats argued both parties to the litigation effectively represented the president, making judicial review difficult. Capitol Police officers sued to prevent payments to people convicted of attacking them on Jan. 6. Several Republican senators also criticized the fund, complicating passage of related spending legislation before the Memorial Day recess.
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden joined Warner in demanding answers about whether compensations could reach individuals prosecuted for violence against law enforcement. The settlement directed the fund to determine its own procedures for submitting and granting claims. Democratic amicus filers argued both parties to Trump’s IRS lawsuit effectively represented presidential interests, limiting ordinary judicial review.
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Sources:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/live-blog/trump-fed-chair-warsh-mike-lawler-ice-budget-iran-live-updates-rcna346431