Senate Democrats launch campaign to kill what DOJ calls its "anti-weaponization fund"

Senate Democrats are launching a coordinated effort to kill the Trump administration's $1.7+ billion "anti-weaponization fund." In a "Dear Colleague" letter released Monday, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats will use a variety of strategies, from floor action to oversight, to block President Trump's "nearly $2 billion MAGA slush fund."   

"If Republicans return to reconciliation, we will be ready with amendments to shut the fund down," Schumer wrote. "If they try to bury the issue, we will force them to the Senate floor. If they try to sneak behind appropriations, we will fight them there, too. There will be no escape hatch. No fake guardrails or backroom promises to hide behind." 

In addition, a trio of Democratic Senators are introducing a bill Monday to shut down the fund and prevent taxpayer dollars from being paid to the president or his allies, including those convicted of crimes or related to the January 6th attack on the Capitol. The measure, dubbed the Drain the Slush Fund Act, is sponsored by Sens. Adam Schiff, of California, Mark Kelly, of Arizona, and Elissa Slotkin, of Michigan. 

"As Republicans return to Washington to provide further funding for this and other mistaken priorities, we're going to hold them accountable," Schiff said. "And as Senators who have actually seen their government weaponized against them, we want to make it clear: We will not allow a single payout from this so-called weaponization fund to be paid."

Last week, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Justice Department from moving forward with work on the new fund. A department spokesperson said it "remains extremely confident in the legality of the Anti-Weaponization Fund which is supported by ample precedent, including Obama-era settlements." 

The $1.776 billion fund would provide taxpayer-funded payouts to people who allege the legal system has been "weaponized" against them. It's part of an agreement between President Trump and the federal government to settle his lawsuit against the IRS and Treasury Department over the leak of his tax returns.

Senate Republicans are considering adding potential guardrails to the fund as part of a broader $72 billion reconciliation package for immigration enforcement agencies. GOP leaders scrapped votes on the party-line measure last month after a contentious meeting over the DOJ fund with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. 

"They (Trump administration) need to help with this issue, because we have a lot of members who are concerned,"  Majority Leader John Thune told reporters at the time.

Blanche will return to Capitol Hill this week for an oversight hearing before a House Appropriations subcommittee.