All articles tagged with #slush fund
The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Todd Blanche’s nomination to be attorney general along party lines after he pledged the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund would be scrapped, sending the nomination to the full Senate where Democrats remain skeptical and Republicans say they will back him, though critics warn the fund could be revived and questions about DOJ independence persist.
A federal judge ruled that a lawsuit challenging the $1.8 billion compensation fund for Trump allies can proceed after the administration declined to certify that the plan was dead, with Brinkema noting that sworn assurances were not provided; the ruling keeps the case alive despite officials’ public comments that the fund would not move forward, and amid criticism that it would function as a political slush fund for Trump loyalists.
TPM’s Morning Memo notes the DOJ filings insist the anti-weaponization slush fund is dead and moot for litigation while claiming it never existed, as Trump pushes purges through acting DNI Bill Pulte; the FBI fires several analysts over a controversial memo, and multiple election-related probes and other Trump-era investigations continue amid partisan commentary and media coverage.
Republicans are weighing Bill Pulte’s potential to head the DNI, a move that faces skepticism over his lack of intelligence background despite Trump’s support, while GOP lawmakers navigate internal dissent on a controversial immigration-enforcement fund and other measures tied to the War Powers Act.
A U.S. District Judge in Miami ordered Donald Trump and the other plaintiffs in the IRS settlement case to answer three allegations—collusion/adverseness, deception in the dismissal, and possible fraud—regarding the $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” slush fund and potential relief of up to $100 million in back taxes, signaling a rare clash between the judiciary and the executive; Trump must respond by June 12, with potential appeals or DOJ intervention as observers watch for how the case unfolds.
The Daily Beast reports that a $1.8 billion “compensation” fund for allies tied to Donald Trump has upended White House aides, who reportedly discussed ‘killing’ the fund to push through immigration-enforcement legislation. More than a dozen Republican senators, including Lindsey Graham, have urged dropping the plan, which was kept from most officials until it was announced. The fund would pay claims of government overreach, but there are concerns it could end up funding Jan. 6 defendants. A federal judge has blocked further action on the fund until a June 12 hearing, highlighting the political headache for the White House.
The Justice Department has created an approximately $1.8 billion 'anti-weaponisation fund' from a judgement fund to compensate people who allege unfair or weaponised government action, as part of a settlement related to Trump’s suit over a leak of his tax records. A five‑member panel will oversee claims through 2028, but critics—mostly Democrats and legal experts—call it a potential 'slush fund' that could benefit Trump allies or January 6 defendants without broad congressional oversight, while supporters argue it follows a precedent from a prior Obama-era settlement and requires no new congressional authorization.
Democrats condemned reports that Trump could settle his $10 billion IRS lawsuit by creating a $1.7 billion compensation fund under his control, calling it a 'slush fund' and a potential abuse of taxpayer dollars; the talks, reported by ABC News and the New York Times, suggest terms like a victim fund or truth-and-reconciliation-style mechanism and hinge on a May 20 court deadline as judges consider whether the case can proceed.
Morning Shots argues that Trump’s imminent settlement with the IRS over leaked tax returns could hinge on funding a $1.7 billion pot to compensate allies who claim they were targeted by the Biden administration, a fund run by a commission that answers to Trump and with minimal disclosure. While Trump wouldn’t directly receive money, entities tied to him could file claims, making it a perceived graft that threatens public funds and oversight. The piece urges Congress to act, up to impeachment if warranted, and places the development in the broader context of Trump’s leadership and the post-summit foreign-policy dynamic.
Republican Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County executive and GOP gubernatorial frontrunner, says he would use New York’s $3.8 billion reserve for economic uncertainties, or the $9.2 billion rainy-day fund if needed, to deliver immediate tax relief—including a 10% tax cut for earners under $250,000 and eliminating state tax on the first $50,000 for single filers and $100,000 for joint filers—while Gov. Hochul’s camp dismisses the plan; Blakeman promises to shut down Hochul’s reserve and return money within 100 days.