Sen.John Kennedy, R-La., told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” Sunday that he would not provide the Trump administration with a “blank check” for the proposed “anti-weaponization” fund and that rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan.
6, 2021, should not be allowed to benefit from it.Kennedy appeared open to supporting a bill to enshrine the $1.776 billion fund into law, which has emerged as a primary sticking point holding up the nomination of Todd Blanche to be attorney general.Republican Sens.John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina have said they would only support Blanche if the Justice Department alters the conditions of President Donald Trump’s settlement with the IRS over his leaked tax returns and provides assurances that the fund is officially dead.The settlement had established the “anti-weaponization” fund, which the Justice Department backed off from after bipartisan pushback, though Trump reopened the possibility of pursuing the fund this week.
The settlement also established audit protections for Trump, his family members and companies.Last month, a judge extended a block on the “anti-weaponization” fund.Cornyn and Tillis have also said they want limits on the audit protections.A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on whether to advance Blanche out of committee was postponed last week after it became clear that Blanche did not have enough Republican support.
The committee vote on sending Blanche’s nomination to the full Senate has been rescheduled for Tuesday.Trump suggested Saturday that he could keep Blanche as acting attorney general and push for the passage of an “anti-weaponization” bill if Cornyn and Tillis hold up the nomination.The president declared that the controversial fund would “immediately be back on the table, and I will get it done.” Just a day earlier, Trump had said that the fund was “dead” but added, “I wish it weren’t.”Asked whether he would support an “anti-weaponization” ...