Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) is set to introduce an amendment during a Senate Homeland Security Committee meeting that would block funding for President Donald Trump's newly announced Anti-Weaponization Fund. This marks Democrats' first attempt to force Republicans to take a public stance on the controversial initiative.
Amendment targets Trump's settlement fund
The amendment, which HuffPost has learned will be offered during a vote on Republican legislation to fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, would prohibit the government from establishing a commission similar to the Anti-Weaponization Fund. The Trump administration unveiled the $1.7 billion fund on Monday as part of a settlement between the president and the Justice Department.
Earlier this year, Trump sued the IRS for $10 billion over a leak of his tax information. The settlement, reached before the judge could dismiss the case due to both parties being aligned, stipulates that Trump and his family will not receive direct compensation. Instead, the fund is intended to provide a systematic process for individuals who, like Trump, claim they suffered weaponization and lawfare under the Biden administration.
Potential beneficiaries and controversy
While the Justice Department has not specified who may apply for payouts, it is widely believed that individuals charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot will be eligible. Democrats have condemned the fund as a slush fund for Trump's allies. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called it one of the most depraved acts of the Trump administration, accusing the president of using the fund to reward his insurrectionist supporters.
The fund's creation is reportedly linked to Mark McCloskey, an attorney who has filed personal injury claims on behalf of hundreds of January 6 defendants. McCloskey told HuffPost that the fund resembles a compensation scheme he has been lobbying the Justice Department to establish since last year.
Political implications
Republicans are expected to vote down Gallego's amendment, but the vote could be politically awkward, as it may be interpreted as support for Trump's controversial plan. The amendment will be considered during a meeting of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, one of two panels overseeing ICE funding legislation. Additionally, the White House has urged Republicans to include $1 billion for Trump's White House ballroom in the same bill.
