Senate Democrats move to block Justice Department lawfare fund

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Senate Democrats block DOJ fund

Highlights

Senate Democrats led by Chuck Schumer will force votes to block the Justice Department's $1.8 billion legal relief fund before any money is disbursed.
The fund, tied to Trump's dropped $10 billion IRS lawsuit, faces bipartisan concerns it could act as a slush fund and compensate Jan. 6 rioters.
A Virginia court on Friday temporarily barred the Justice Department from advancing or distributing money from the controversial fund.

Senate strategy centers on forced votes

As first reported by CNBC, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says Democrats will force Republicans to vote on the Justice Department's controversial legal relief fund, which the administration presents as compensation for victims of what it calls "lawfare." In a Monday "Dear Colleague" letter to Senate Democrats, Schumer says his caucus is launching a coordinated effort to stop the fund before any money is disbursed.

Schumer says Democrats are prepared to use amendments if Republicans bring the delayed reconciliation package back to the floor. He also says Democrats will press the issue in the Senate even if Republicans try to avoid a direct fight or move the matter through appropriations.

The fund has already become a flashpoint on Capitol Hill. Opposition to it helped stall Senate floor business last month as Republicans tried to advance a budget reconciliation measure to fund immigration enforcement agencies within the Department of Homeland Security.

Legal and political pressure builds

Democrats are unlikely to block the fund through legislation without Republican support, but the issue could still force politically difficult votes less than six months before an election. Some Republicans privately told acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in a closed-door Capitol Hill meeting that they opposed the fund when he came to explain it.

A Virginia court on Friday temporarily blocks the Justice Department from taking further action to create the fund or disburse money from it. Critics, including Democrats, argue the program could function as a "slush fund" and potentially be used to compensate Jan. 6 rioters who attacked police at the U.S. Capitol.

The fund stems from Trump's decision to drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax information in 2019 and 2020. In exchange, the Justice Department creates the $1.8 billion fund for people who say they were harmed by what the Trump administration describes as government weaponization, while Blanche says the department is establishing a lawful process for those victims to seek redress.

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