Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday avoided a direct answer when asked about President Donald Trump's so-called "Anti-Weaponization Fund" and his previous statements regarding January 6 rioters.
Collins Presses Vance on Funding
During a press briefing, CNN's Kaitlan Collins confronted Vance: "You previously told me that anyone who assaulted a police officer on Jan. 6 should go to prison. So why not rule out giving them taxpayer-funded money?"
Vance responded, "Well, Kaitlan, what I said is we're gonna look at everything case-by-case." When Collins pressed further, asking why he would not rule it out, Vance replied, "Because Kaitlan, there are people who, I don't know their individual circumstances, and I don't rule things out categorically when I know nothing about a person's individual circumstances."
The $1.8 Billion Fund
The fund in question, worth $1.8 billion, originated from a Justice Department settlement of Trump's lawsuit against the IRS. It is designed to distribute taxpayer funds to the president's allies and supporters, including the nearly 1,600 individuals charged or convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot.
The controversial settlement also includes a provision that prohibits the government from prosecuting or pursuing "examinations or similar or related reviews" of the president or his family concerning tax returns filed before this week, according to a document uploaded to the DOJ's website on Tuesday.
