House Democrats are moving to block a $1.8 billion fund created to compensate people who claim they were targeted by politically motivated federal prosecutions, marking a rare moment where bipartisan skepticism about the initiative could gain traction.
Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, is drafting legislation to prohibit federal spending on what the Trump administration calls its Anti-Weaponization Fund. The measure would explicitly ban any taxpayer dollars from being used to establish or distribute payments through the program.
The fund emerged from a settlement between Trump and the IRS following the former president's lawsuit over the agency's handling of his tax returns. It would allow individuals and organizations to seek compensation if they contend the federal government pursued them for political reasons, potentially opening the door to claims from January 6 Capitol riot defendants and others.
Raskin's effort has already drawn unexpected Republican interest. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania told reporters Wednesday he intends to "try to kill" the fund, signaling willingness to work across party lines on the measure.
"We're going to write a letter to the attorney general to start, but we're considering a legislative option," Fitzpatrick said.
If House Republican leadership refuses to bring Raskin's bill to a floor vote, Democratic strategists are prepared to invoke a discharge petition, a procedural tactic that would force a vote regardless of leadership opposition. A Raskin spokesperson confirmed the office is exploring this backup route.
The legislative push comes as the fund faces legal challenges from an unexpected quarter. Two law enforcement officers who were stationed at the Capitol during the January 6 uprising have filed suit to dissolve the program entirely, raising questions about its legal foundation and administration.
The Justice Department has not yet commented on the Democratic legislation or the pending lawsuit challenging the fund's existence.
Author James Rodriguez: "This is the kind of bipartisan rebellion that suggests the fund's structure is genuinely problematic, not just partisan theater."
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