MAGA rep gets more than he bargained for as tensions flare during CNN interview
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) faced pushback during a contentious CNN interview over what critics have called President Donald Trump's massive slush fund.
The MAGA lawmaker and Florida gubernatorial candidate appeared Thursday morning on "The Situation Room," where co-host Pamela Brown pressed him on details about the $1.776 billion taxpayer-paid "Anti-Weaponization" fund to compensate individuals who claim they were unjustly targeted for federal prosecution.
"Let's be veryclear," Donalds began. "Understand that therewere many people that the Biden Justice Department overchargedwith respect to what happened onJan. 6. That is a fact, that's what happened, if youlook at some of the trials thatwere conducted there in thattime period. Number two, thatfund, as I understand it, isopen to anybody, Republican or Democrat, independent, no matterwhat your political viewpointsare. If you were subject to aweaponized prosecution by thefederal government, then thatfund is available in order tomake the necessary payments,quite frankly, for pain andsuffering and mental anguish with your government choosing topersecute you for politicalpurposes, and that list is way, that list is way long."
"We can goback to Lois Lerner back in2014, when that IRS under the Obama administration was targeting Tea Party groups," the GOP congressman added. "So I think this isa fund that, quite frankly, is long overdue. If you're an American who is prosecuted bythis government for politicalpurposes and gone after by thisgovernment for politicalpurposes, there should be someability to compensate you forthat."
Donalds argued that convicted Jan. 6 rioters were deserving of compensation because the Biden Justice Department had "overcharged" them, but Brown followed up and asked him to clarify that he had not ruled out compensating individuals convicted of violently attacking law enforcement, and Donalds rejected her question.
"What you're trying todo is make an assertion where itdoesn't even exist today, andthat's what you're doing," he complained. "Sodon't come in with a leadingquestion trying to make anassertion that doesn't existbecause you're trying to makeit a political question."
Donalds cited another instance where he believed a specific individuals deserved compensation, but again listed only Trump allies.
"We can talk about we can talk about whathappened with Michael Flynn, thefact that he was persecuted bythis government under the underthe phony Russia collusionscandal, which we all know nowis fake and phony," Donalds said, referring to Trump's first national security adviser who pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents. "What abouthim? What about the money he hadto put out for his attorneys?What about the anguish on hisfamily?"
Brown reclaimed control of the interview and shut down Donalds' complaint.
"I wanted togive you a chance to give yourperspective here, but just to beclear, this isn't anything I'mdoing," Brown said. "I am a vehicle for whatpeople in your own party, theconcerns that they'reexpressing. You have several Republicans on the Senate side,and also you have on the Houseside who concerns coming fromthem about who could receivethis money, including theJan. 6 rioters. In fact,and, in fact, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is meetingwith some of them because ofthose concerns."
"You are a fiscalconservative and you're runningas such for governor of Florida," she added. "Is it a fiscally responsibledecision for the Trumpadministration to launch this$1.8 billion fundwhen Americans and Floridians,in particular, are strugglingwith high gas prices?"
Donalds complained about that question, too.
"You're conflatingissues, he protested.
"No, I'm not," Brown firmly replied.
"Yes, you are," Donalds argued.
"I'm not conflating issues, I'm a vehicle for concerns that come from everyday Americans," Brown responded.
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