Todd Blanche rescinds anti-weaponization fund to clear AG confirmation

Todd Blanche Rescinds Anti-Weaponization Fund

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has formally rescinded the $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" that was created to compensate President Donald Trump's political allies, including those who attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The move comes after weeks of negotiations with Republican senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, who had been blocking Blanche's nomination for attorney general over concerns about the fund. According to Blanche, the decision to rescind the fund was made after "good faith discussions" with committee members and senators. In a statement, Blanche said, "My team and I have met with committee members and Senators over the past several weeks and addressed any concerns or outstanding questions. We have enjoyed good faith discussions, and as a result issue the following order and update with regards to the May IRS settlement." The order officially rescinds the May 18, 2026, order that established the fund. The fund was created as part of a settlement between Trump and the Internal Revenue Service to resolve a lawsuit over the leak of Trump's tax returns. The settlement included a provision that provided broad immunity for Trump and his family members from tax audits. However, Blanche's order limits the scope of this provision, stating that the tax audit immunity agreement applies only retroactively to claims opened at the time of the settlement and does not protect Trump from future tax filing examination. The rescinding of the fund is seen as a key hurdle cleared for Blanche's confirmation as attorney general. The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on Blanche's nomination on Tuesday, and the move is expected to pave the way for his confirmation. Cornyn and Tillis, who had been holding up Blanche's nomination, released a statement saying that they "look forward to voting to advance his nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee soon." Cornyn said, "I think as far as Blanche and the Department of Justice, we were pretty much on the same page. But then when the president got wind of it, he wasn’t willing to go along with it." Tillis responded to Trump's threat to bring back the fund, saying it is a "payout pot for punks." Trump has defended the fund, saying that it would compensate those targeted by the DOJ under the Biden Administration. He said, "A lot of people like it. A lot of big supporters of Trump like it." Trump also stated that people who had faced charges from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and could have benefitted from the fund had "their lives destroyed." He added, "This would be a reimbursement for the pain that they suffered." The debate over the anti-weaponization fund has been contentious, with critics arguing that it would allow Trump's political allies and those pardoned for the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol to cash in on taxpayer dollars. The fund was seen as a major hurdle for Blanche's confirmation, and its rescinding is a significant development in the ongoing debate over his nomination.

Background on the Anti-Weaponization Fund

The anti-weaponization fund was created as part of a settlement between Trump and the Internal Revenue Service to resolve a lawsuit over the leak of Trump's tax returns. The settlement included a provision that provided broad immunity for Trump and his family members from tax audits. The fund was intended to compensate those who claimed they were unfairly prosecuted during the Biden and Obama presidencies, including those who attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Reaction from Senators

Cornyn and Tillis, who had been holding up Blanche's nomination, released a statement saying that they "look forward to voting to advance his nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee soon." The two senators had been demanding written assurances that the fund would not move forward, and Blanche's order appears to have met their concerns. In their statement, Cornyn and Tillis expressed gratitude to Blanche for working to address their concerns, saying, "From the outset, we were clear that we needed a written document addressing our concerns on the IRS audit agreement and the anti-weaponization fund that included constraining the scope of audit protection by limiting it to the parties of the Settlement Agreement and legally ending the anti-weaponization fund." However, not all senators are convinced that the fund is truly dead. Senator Lisa Murkowski has expressed concerns about Blanche's previous role as Trump's personal attorney and has yet to sign on to support his nomination. Other Senate Republicans may also have concerns, and it remains to be seen whether Blanche will be able to overcome them.