Republicans recoil as Trump's billion-dollar DOJ 'slush fund' for allies threatens ICE, Border Patrol plan
Senate Republicans are breaking with President Donald Trump on his new, nearly $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund as concerns over where the money comes from and who gets it ripple through...
By Fox News · Fox News
Senate Republicans are breaking with President Donald Trump on his new, nearly $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund as concerns over where the money comes from and who gets it ripple through the Capitol. The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the $1.78 billion fund earlier this week in a deal struck between Trump and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to drop his $10 billion lawsuit. Shortly after, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was grilled by senators on the subject. "This is an outrageous, unprecedented slush fund that you have set up," Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said. "Simple question, will individuals who assaulted Capitol Hill police officers be eligible for this fund?" TRUMP DEMANDS SENATE PARLIAMENTARIAN'S OUSTER FOR AXING BALLROOM SECURITY FUNDING "Anybody in this country will be eligible to apply," Blanche said. That concern has driven several Senate Republicans to criticize the fund, given that several people convicted of assaulting police on the Hill, or who have tried to harm the president, could get access to taxpayer dollars. "Imagine that," Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said. "A fund that is set up to compensate people who assaulted Capitol Police officers and other responding agencies, right? People that had pled guilty to physical acts against the president may actually be able to get compensated. How absurd does that sound coming out of my mouth?" Senate Republicans are currently trying to ram through a multibillion-dollar package that will fund immigration operations for the remainder of Trump’s presidency and are already grappling with a $1 billion funding request that will go toward security enhancements for his colossal ballroom. That funding, which was already stripped out by the Senate rules referee, and whether to add restrictions to the DOJ fund, are gumming up the process in the upper chamber. SENATE REPUBLICAN THREATENS TO DERAIL ICE, BORDER PATROL PACKAGE OVER TRUMP'S BILLION-DOLLAR REQUEST Few Republicans are actively support…