Washington — On Thursday, Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania and Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi from New York put forward a proposal to prohibit federal funds from being used to settle claims through the Justice Department’s newly established “anti-weaponization” fund.
This legislation, known as the Bipartisan Transparency for American Taxpayers Act, emerges amidst Republican debates over the $1.8 billion fund. The fund was designed to compensate individuals who allege they were wrongfully targeted or investigated by the government. Notably, supporters of the president, some of whom were involved in the January 6 Capitol events, have announced intentions to file for compensation.
The creation of this fund resulted from a settlement in a lawsuit filed by President Trump against the IRS, related to a leak of his tax returns. This atypical resolution has drawn significant criticism from both Democrats and an increasing number of Republicans in Congress.
Fitzpatrick and Suozzi’s two-page bill explicitly states that “no federal funds … may be used for the payment of any claim submitted to the Anti-Weaponization Fund, established by the Department of Justice on May 18, 2026.”
In a statement, Fitzpatrick emphasized, “Congress has a constitutional responsibility to protect taxpayer dollars and oversee federal spending. Taxpayer dollars will not become a discretionary payout fund. Transparency is not optional. Accountability is not negotiable.”
Suozzi expressed concerns that such a “slush fund” could establish a “dangerous precedent.”
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Suozzi said the “slush fund” would set a “dangerous precedent.”
In a letter to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Wednesday, Fitzpatrick expressed “urgent concern” about the fund, which was established “with no oversight or approval from Congress.” He asked that Blanche respond to him by June 1 about where the money is coming from, who would be eligible to receive it and under what authority the fund was created.
On Thursday, opposition to the DOJ fund derailed hopes for passage of Republicans’ reconciliation package to provide money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol for three years, which GOP leaders were hoping to get through both chambers by the end of the week to meet Mr. Trump’s June 1 deadline.
