MeidasTouch chief Washington correspondent told MS NOW host Chris Jansing on Thursday that he has "a list of zero Republicans" willing to support President Donald Trump's slush fund. (MS NOW/Screenshot)
President Donald Trump's push to create a $1.8 billion fund that could compensate Capitol rioters has become deeply unpopular among lawmakers, with many showing signs that they plan to reject it altogether, a reporter told MS NOW on Thursday.
Scott MacFarlane, chief Washington correspondent and anchor at MeidasTouch, told MS NOW anchor Chris Jansing that several Jan. 6, 2021 defendants were seeking millions of dollars from the new fund — something that has infuriated both Democrats and Republicans.
"A whole bunch of them are publicly pronouncing it," MacFarlane said. "And that is the last thing this very fragile slush fund needs, is people who are accused of seditious conspiracy, are being part of the January 6th attack, publicly saying they want their money. They want our taxpayer money. I can tell you, Chris, Attorney General Todd Blanche was just at the U.S. Senate trying to sell this idea on behalf of the White House. It did not go well."
Blanche had apparently tried to convince lawmakers not to oppose the fund, which was announced this week by the Department of Justice.
"One of the sticking points for Republicans, and all the Democrats, is this issue of cop beaters getting money through the fund," MacFarlane said. "That is a nonstarter even for Trump's allies in the U.S. Senate. It's going to be a problem. And this is what it looks like, Chris. When a slush fund starts to melt, the Republicans don't get on board. There's no momentum behind it. And the Senate wants to get involved, perhaps in stopping or changing the rules."
MacFarlane added that four different proposals from Democrats to stop the fund had come up during the course of 10 minutes.
"Some of them would tax any recipient 100% on the money, which means all the money gets removed," he said. "Others would use the appropriations process to limit who could get money out of this fund. Precluding cop beaters, January 6th rioters. There are lawsuits that are being mustered.
"But here's the thing, and perhaps this is the most telling part of the story this week. I got a list of zero Republicans who say they're keen on this bill," holding up an empty page of his notebook to demonstrate the lack of people signing on.
"Nobody has declaratively stated any support and those who kind of worked around the edges, Chris, those who have said, 'hey, Biden, weaponization victims deserve money.' They're getting it wrong because the January 6th prosecution famously were launched not by President Biden, but in the first term of President Trump."