White House arms GOP senators with talking points over anti-weaponization fund controversy

WASHINGTON, DC: Amid growing backlash over the Trump administration’s $1.7 billion fund to compensate people who were allegedly wrongly targeted through the supposed weaponization of the legal system, the White House has issued talking points to GOP senators directing how to defend the controversial fund.

The Trump admin handed out the talking points to Republicans on Thursday, May 21. The $1.7 billion public fund came into existence in exchange for Trump dropping his highly unusual $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

White House releases talking points of $1.7B fund for Reps

On Wednesday morning, Punchbowl News reporter Andrew Desiderio obtained a letter the Donald Trump White House sent to Republican Senate offices defending the administration’s controversial $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund.

According to the letter, the fund was created to compensate Americans who were allegedly targeted through “lawfare” or the use of government power for “unlawful” political reasons.

The memo argued that the fund could benefit a broad range of Americans, including people whose online speech was allegedly censored, parents involved in school board disputes, churchgoers investigated by the FBI, and lawmakers whose records were subpoenaed.

The White House also stressed that participation in the fund is voluntary and not limited by party affiliation, stating that Democrats would also be allowed to submit claims.

The letter added that Trump, his sons, and the Trump Organization would receive a formal apology under the settlement but would not receive any financial compensation from the fund.

The letter also mentioned that the administration tied the fund to a settlement involving claims that Trump and his allies were unfairly targeted through leaked tax returns, the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, and other investigations.

The letter also detailed the structure of the committee that will oversee the fund. The members of the committee will be appointed by Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Officers file lawsuit to block Trump's fund

Two law enforcement officers who defended the US Capitol during the January 6 riot have filed a lawsuit seeking to block a proposed $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund, calling it an illegal effort that could benefit rioters and groups involved in political violence.

Former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn and Metropolitan Police Department officer Daniel Hodges filed the suit on Wednesday, arguing that the fund amounts to a “taxpayer-funded slush fund” designed to support individuals and organizations tied to the Capitol attack.