Acting AG Todd Blanche reaches deal with holdout senators to scrap $1.8B ‘anti-weaponization’ fund

Key Points:

• Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the official rescission of a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund following weeks of negotiations with senators, issuing an order nullifying the fund's establishment.
• The fund was created as part of a settlement from a lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump against the IRS, which also protected the Trump family from tax audits, but faced criticism due to potential payouts to January 6 riot participants.
• Blanche's announcement came just two days before the Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled to vote on his nomination for permanent attorney general, with key GOP senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis linking their support to the fund's cancellation.
• Cornyn and Tillis, both having strained relations with Trump and not serving on the Judiciary Committee, expressed that other senators shared their concerns about the fund, impacting the nomination process.
• Despite Blanche's earlier congressional testimony that the fund was defunct, Trump threatened to push for its revival shortly before the announcement.