Bill Cassidy signs brief calling 'weaponization' fund a 'dire threat'
CNBC • • nation
Key Points:
- Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) filed an amicus brief opposing President Trump's "anti-weaponization" fund, calling it a "dire threat" to Congressional authority and the constitutional order.
- The brief argues the fund violates constitutional powers related to spending, appropriations, and appointments, and could financially compensate convicted rioters from the January 6 Capitol attack.
- The fund originated from a $1.8 billion settlement to drop Trump's $10 billion IRS lawsuit over leaked tax returns, intended to compensate victims of "lawfare," but the Justice Department has since abandoned pursuing it.
- Cassidy's opposition highlights growing Senate Republican resistance to Trump-backed initiatives, especially as Cassidy faces no upcoming elections and could influence future Senate votes.
- Critics seek a permanent judicial injunction against the fund's implementation, as uncertainty remains over the fund's status despite DOJ statements and Trump's ambiguous remarks.