Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche officially cancelled on Monday a planned $1.8 billion fund intended to compensate people who say they were politically targeted, avoiding a major clash with two Republican senators who had threatened to block his confirmation as the nation’s top law enforcement officer.
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Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) said they would back Blanche after he issued a written order rescinding the “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” The fund was created in May as part of a settlement resolving Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS and Treasury Department over the unauthorized disclosure of his tax records. Critics said that it could be used to compensate people charged in connection with the events of January 6.
Blanche’s order said that no board members had been appointed for the fund, no money transferred, and no claims received or paid.
The agreement clears a major obstacle before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s planned Tuesday vote on Blanche’s nomination.
