DOJ Abides by Weaponization Fund Ruling, Likely Easing Senate Gridlock

The Department of Justice has chosen to abide by a federal judge’s block on an “Anti-Weaponization Fund” created as part of a settlement agreement in President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in a move that could clear the way for passing a major border security funding bill.

The $1.77 billion fund was meant to “provide a systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare,” per the DOJ.

“This Fund was open to anybody who was so weaponized, targeted, or persecuted, whether they were Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Independent, or otherwise,” the DOJ wrote in a statement Monday, expressing disagreement but adding it “will abide by the Court’s ruling.”

In May, senators left Washington, D.C., after failing to agree on a party-line budget bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security immigration enforcement agencies for the rest of Trump’s administration.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection have not received funding via the typical bipartisan process after the longest ever shutdown of the agency, in which Democrats refused to fund the agencies without Congress enacting restraints on them. Republicans are attempting to pass a budget reconciliation bill to fund the agencies, a legislative process which allows the Senate to enact sweeping budgetary changes with a simple majority.

Among the sources of Republican discontent in the Senate was widespread disagreement with the DOJ over the Anti-Weaponization Fund.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called the fund “stupid on stilts,” expressing his opposition to the idea of paying those who entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

“People are concerned about paying their mortgage or rent, affording groceries, and paying for gas, not about putting together a $1.8 billion fund for the president and his allies to pay whomever they wish with no legal precedent or accountability,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La, said.

Although the fund was wholly unrelated to the bill, reconciliation offers Democrats the opportunity to introduce infinite amendments, meaning the minority could use the process to target the fund.

Proceeding to a reconciliation bill triggers a “vote-a-rama” in the Senate, wherein Democrats are sure to force Republicans into politically uncomfortable votes and attempt to take advantage of intraparty divisions.

Ultimately, the Senate punted on the process, choosing to proceed to their recess without having advanced a bill.

On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced in a letter his intention to target the fund on the Senate floor, making it clear it remained politically explosive.

“This week, Senate Democrats will launch a coordinated effort to kill the slush fund before one cent goes out the door. And no matter what Republicans do, we will force them to vote,” Schumer wrote in the letter.

He added, “If Republicans return to reconciliation, we will be ready with amendments to shut the fund down.”

Whatever bill the Senate is able to advance, they would also need to pass through the House’s narrow majority in order to get it to the president’s desk.

With a razor-thin majority, House Republican leadership could afford few defections on a party-line vote.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., has already signaled his opposition to the fund.

“Bad news. We’re going to try to kill it,” he said in May of the fund.

The president met with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., on Monday.

Later, Axios reported that the White House was planning to abandon the fund in order to ensure the passage of a reconciliation bill. A federal judge had temporarily blocked the fund on Friday.

The DOJ soon thereafter announced it would abide by the judge’s ruling.

Related Posts

Thune Stalls DHS Funding Bill Again, Sending Congress Home

The long-stalled Department of Homeland Security immigration funding bill unexpectedly stalled again Thursday afternoon. Senate Majority Leader John Thune delayed the vote until after the long weekend and the even longer recess, missing President Donald Trump’s June 1 deadline. On Tuesday, Thune told the press that senators were going to vote this week on the…

Senate GOP Leaders Pull a Bait-and-Switch With Reconciliation 3.0

Conservatives have every right to feel betrayed by the Republican Congress’ recent antics. Free marketeers, from the U.S. House to homes across America, were told in April to accept Senate Republican Leader John Thune’s emaciated Reconciliation 2.0 bill. The South Dakotan employed a limited-use budget procedure that obviates that pesky 60-vote filibuster threshold and permits passage via simple…

Is the Government Still Funding the Immigration Industrial Complex? Trump Wants Answers

Is the federal government still funneling taxpayer dollars to some of the leftist activist groups that called the shots during President Joe Biden’s administration? The Trump White House is asking federal agencies to investigate past and potentially continuing funding for a host of nonprofits, many of which are associated with aggressive promotion of leftist causes….