Arizona Democratic Congressman Greg Stanton applauded his Republican colleagues for pushing back against President Donald Trump’s fund for alleged victims of political persecution on Friday.
Trump sued the IRS for leaking his tax returns. As part of a settlement, the Department of Justice is setting up a $1.776 billion fund to pay victims of quote “lawfare and weaponization” — which could include rioters from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Stanton scoffed at the idea of the fund, calling it corruption.
“A ridiculous settlement, $1.776 billion slush fund that’s going to pay off his friends and cronies and includes protection liability protection for he and his entire family for any action by the IRS,” he said.
An addendum to the settlement, signed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, permanently bans the IRS from auditing tax claims for Trump, his family and his companies.
Blanche is a Trump appointee and was the president’s personal attorney.
Some GOP senators oppose the fund, which stalled passage of an immigration enforcement funding bill this week.
“Thank goodness there are some strong Republicans standing up to this corruption, bipartisan bills to end this ridiculous fund and never let it happen anytime in the future,” Stanton said.
Some Republicans also take issue with a line item to direct some of $1 billion into Trump’s planned ballroom.
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