Senate rejects an initial attempt to ban Trump’s $1.8-billion ‘anti-weaponization’ fund

WASHINGTON— Initial efforts in the Senate failed Thursday to block the $1.8 billion fund the Trump administration is trying to establish to pay people who claim the government has wronged them, but other attempts were likely Thursday afternoon.

Republicans narrowly rejected Democrats’ amendment banning the settlement fund, and then Democrats rejected the Republican amendment that would have banned federal money from being used for the fund but would have sent $1.7 billion to the Justice Department’s fraud division.

This was the second effort by Congress, following the House of Representatives, to rebuke President Trump in two days. vote He will rein in Trump’s war powers in Iran on Wednesday.

The dueling amendments were proposed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-Year) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). They were included in the compromise bill that would fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, which are a high priority for Republicans.

The votes come as the Senate begins “voting” in which lawmakers are expected to propose a series of changes to the immigration bill on a variety of issues.

The Trump administration’s settlement fund plan, seen as a way for Trump to compensate his political allies, including those who participated in the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, is on its way. particular anger from some GOP lawmakers..

The plan has fueled growing unrest in parts of Trump’s party about his own administration; This, combined with the president’s endorsement of leading rivals Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), as well as Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), has angered some Republican senators.

Cassidy, who lost the primary and has since voiced strong opposition to Trump’s $1.8 billion fund, became a key player in Thursday’s voting, voting against Schumer’s amendment while supporting Tillis’s.

On Wednesday, Cassidy joined Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in a court case claiming the $1.8 billion fund exceeds Congress’s authority and violates the Constitution’s spending and appropriations clauses.

“Spending the public’s money without Congressional approval is an unconstitutional initiative,” Cassidy and Booker wrote in an amicus brief filed in the federal court case challenging the funding.

The fund was created by the Justice Department to resolve Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns. Trump and his sons agreed to drop their personal lawsuit against the government in exchange for the creation of a $1.776 billion fund. Critics immediately questioned the plan, and it drew rare pushback from Republicans.

In late May, GOP senators derailed plans to vote on the immigration bill over their displeasure with the bailout fund and Trump’s desire to use taxpayer funds for his planned ballroom at the White House. Senate Republicans removed ballroom financing The outcome of Wednesday’s immigration package was another setback for Trump.

The Trump administration tried to backtrack on the fund plans this week, following bipartisan objections and a federal court decision that temporarily blocked payments from the fund. Deputy Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche said Tuesday that the administration will end plans to advance the concept.

But Trump told reporters Wednesday he didn’t know whether the fund was dead, calling it a “beautiful thing.”

The Senate ground to a halt Thursday morning as three key Republican senators deliberated after Schumer proposed the first amendment that would ban the fund. Schumer framed the effort to ban the fund on Thursday as a way to force a referendum on Trump’s plan.

The amendment “gives Republicans a choice: Do you support Donald Trump’s $2 billion taxpayer-funded slush fund, or do you want to protect the American people and their paychecks?” Schumer said on the Senate floor before the vote.

Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) urged Republicans to reject the amendment, saying Democrats plan to “play too many games” during Thursday’s marathon session.

“We will fund immigration enforcement and border patrol, and I call on my Republican colleagues to unite on this single mission,” Moreno said.

The amendment failed after Cassidy voted against it. Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Jon Husted of Ohio and Dan Sullivan of Alaska voted in favor.

Schumer’s amendment was likewise supported by Democrats, including California Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla.

Tillis, who also voted against Schumer’s amendment, immediately proposed an amendment. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) urged Democrats to oppose it, saying the proposal would create “a new slush fund” by giving the money to the Justice Department.

“Over the last 48 hours, we’ve heard the acting attorney general say that this funding is not moving forward. All this amendment does is codify what I believe is the policy of the Department of Justice,” Tillis said at the podium before voting on the amendment. “This [fund] is unpopular, this administration has said it will not move forward on this issue; “This is an opportunity for us to de-escalate the situation.”

Merkley responded: “Taking a slush fund, dismantling it, and then creating a new slush fund that’s still under the attorney general’s control is not the way to go. The way to go is to get rid of these slush funds altogether.”

Trump has faced a series of recent failures; These include a House vote Wednesday, a court order to remove his name from the Kennedy Center and a record-low approval rating among Americans as concerns about economic problems, gas prices and Trump’s war with Iran grow.

On Wednesday, Trump lashed out at the four Republicans who supported the House war powers resolution, calling it “unpatriotic” and calling the vote “meaningless.”

“They are in the stands! They should be ashamed of themselves. MAGA!!! President DJT,” Trump wrote.

Times writer Ana Ceballos in Washington contributed to this report.