All posts tagged "Anti-Weaponization Fund"

A federal appeals panel that includes one of President Donald Trump's own judicial picks refused to lift penalties imposed over the president's anti-weaponization fund.

A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the request for a stay Tuesday in an order issued "by the court," with no judge dissenting. Judge Kevin Newsom, a Trump appointee, sat on the panel alongside Judges Adalberto Jordan and Robin Rosenbaum, both appointed by former President Barack Obama.

The ruling leaves in place sanctions U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams imposed in July after finding that Trump's lawsuit against the IRS and the Treasury Department was collusive. Williams concluded the suit was filed to legitimize "a 'settlement' that had no viable basis in law or fact," according to the order....

The nearly $2 billion fund Attorney General Todd Blanche insisted was "dead" to salvage his confirmation is anything but, as the Justice Department now moves to revive the legal effort behind it.

The DOJ notified a federal judge Friday that it is appealing to the 11th Circuit, Democracy Docket reported, challenging U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams' July ruling that gutted President Donald Trump's attempt to sue himself.

Williams found that the $10 billion lawsuit Trump and his two eldest sons filed against the IRS was "improper," brought only to justify an extraordinary settlement with his own Justice Department. That deal would have created a $1.776 billion fund, a nod to 1776, to pay Trump allies who claimed "weaponization," a pool that could have included Jan. 6 rioters. The judge, who concluded Trump "effectively" controlled both sides, called the case "non-adversarial, collusive, and jurisdictionally improper."...

Attorney General Todd Blanche refused to rule out the idea that Jan. 6 rioters could be paid by President Donald Trump's administration.

During a Sunday appearance on NBC's Meet the Press, Blanche was pressed by host Kristen Welker on whether the Trump administration would pay Jan. 6 rioters. Blanche has repeatedly said that the anti-weaponization fund, which critics worried would pay Jan. 6 rioters, is dead, but Welker asked if they could still get payments.

"You're saying you're not ever reviving it, but just to be very clear, can you guarantee that under your Department of Justice, anyone who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 will not receive one dime of taxpayer money if they file a claim against the federal government?"...

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) has rung a potential death knell for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's Senate confirmation.

Tillis, in post on X Saturday morning, said that he won't vote to confirm Blanche as attorney general after President Donald Trump wrote a Truth Social rant declaring his controversial anti-weaponization fund wasn't dead.

"Despite comments as late as yesterday that the fund is dead, President Trump clearly intends to resurrect the payout pot for punks," Tillis wrote. "It’s unfortunate that Todd Blanche, who I consider qualified for the job, will not be confirmed because of this reversal."...

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) hit back at attacks from President Donald Trump on Friday, publicly calling him out for taking bad advice on a "bogus settlement" from "an incompetent personal advisor."

The Republican lawmaker — who joins Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in demanding Trump commit to ending his Anti Weaponization Fund or see acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's confirmation voted down — posted his outrage on X.

"While I never disagreed that the Biden Administration pursued a number of vindictive prosecutions related to January 6, the criminals who assaulted police officers and defiled our nation’s Capitol are not 'great American patriots' who are 'victims of government abuse,'" wrote Tillis....

The delayed vote to advance the confirmation of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is drawing sharp online reactions.

On Wednesday, reporters revealed that the Senate Judiciary Committee planned to delay the markup and vote on Blanche's nomination to be President Donald Trump's attorney general, with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the committee chair, saying he's working to help shore up votes to advance the nomination.

Online, reactions ranged from surprise to condemnation of the move by the Republican-led committee. Blanche's confirmation had been complicated by his handling of the Epstein files as deputy attorney general and his refusal to put in writing that Trump's anti-weaponization fund is dead....