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Aug. 1 (UPI) — President Donald Trump on Saturday said he would push to codify into law his controversial $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund if two senators continue to block the confirmation of his nominee for attorney general.
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Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., have opposed the confirmation of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for a permanent role in opposition to the fund.
Speaking to reporters at Camp David on Friday, Trump had admitted the fund was “dead” — but flip flopped in a statement the following day.
“If Senators Cornyn and Tillis, both upset because I wouldn’t Endorse them (they lost, and quit, respectively!), aren’t going to approve Todd Blanche, one of the most respected professionals, according to everybody, in the Country, to be the United States Attorney General, then I will keep Todd as Acting A.G., and push hard to get the Anti-Weaponization Bill, which takes care of those who have been so badly treated by the Crooked Joe Biden (and Obuma!) Administration (I get nothing, although I was treated horribly!), PASSED,” Trump said in a statement on Truth Social.
“Todd Blanche was a voice of reason!” he added. “It will immediately be back on the table, and I will get it done.”
The fund comes from a settlement, negotiated between Trump’s private attorneys and his Department of Justice, that would compensate people who feel they were unfairly targeted by the government, including Jan. 6 rioters.
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The settlement would also include a provision that would shield Trump and businesses from IRS audits.
Blanche has said, at times, the anti-weaponization fund would not be moving forward.
But Cornyn and Tillis have asked Blanche for written assurances from the DOJ that the fund was gone for good, which he has failed to produce.
“Despite comments as late as yesterday that the fund is dead, President Trump clearly intends to resurrect the payout pot for punks either by inappropriately establishing another bogus fund or pushing Congress to vote for a bill that the majority of Republicans in the Senate would be against,” Tillis said in a statement on X.
“It’s unfortunate that Todd Blanche, who I consider qualified for the job, will not be confirmed because of this reversal,” the senator added. “Hopefully, we can resolve this by Tuesday.”
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