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The top Republican senator has turned on Donald Trump over his $1.8 billion taxpayer-funded payout to his political allies.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has come out against the ‘anti-weaponization’ settlement approved by the Justice Department. Under the deal, Trump dropped his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the IRS in exchange for the creation of a fund channeling taxpayer money to victims of ‘lawfare,’ including January 6 rioters.
‘Yeah, not a big fan. I’m not sure exactly how they intend to use it. But my understanding is that was just announced,’ Thune reporters. ‘But yeah, I don’t see a purpose for it.’
The $1.776 billion fund will have the power to issue formal apologies and monetary relief owed to claimants. While Trump is barred from directly receiving payments from the fund, entities associated with him are not explicitly prohibited from filing additional ones.
The President, his sons Don Jr and Eric, and the Trump Organization initially filed suit against the Treasury and IRS in the Southern District of Florida federal court after the leak of their tax returns in 2019.
Other top GOP lawmakers, including Senator Bill Cassidy, have called Trump’s compensation efforts a ‘slush fund’ and questioned the administration’s legal authority to hand out money to people investigated or prosecuted under Biden.
‘Somebody explained it to me this way, an attorney,’ Senator Cassidy said. ‘It is as if somebody sued themselves and agreed upon a settlement with themselves that’s going to be funded by the rest of us. If that’s the case: What?!’
Senator Rand Paul, another prominent Republican who is backing Trump’s Senate rival Thomas Massie in his upcoming primary race, also slammed the president’s payout fund: ‘I’ve never heard of someone negotiating with themselves and making a plea bargain with themselves, so I think there’s no precedent for it.’
Trump dropped his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the IRS in exchange for the creation of a fund channeling taxpayer money to victims of ‘lawfare,’ including January 6 rioters
‘QAnon Shaman’ Jacob Chansley, right with fur hat, during the Capitol riot in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has come out against the ‘anti-weaponization’ settlement approved by the Justice Department
