US: Trump-aligned 'witch hunt fund' plan canceled

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche has shut down plans to establish a nearly $2 billion fund. The money was intended for individuals allegedly targeted by the Justice Department under the previous administration. Blanche stated, "We are not advancing the fund, period," according to The New York Times. He reiterated this stance multiple times during a House subcommittee hearing.

A federal judge in Virginia had temporarily blocked the fund's establishment the previous week. The fund's creation agreement was tied to a lawsuit between former President Donald Trump and the IRS. Trump sought $10 billion, alleging an IRS contractor leaked information about his tax returns to the media. This leak suggested Trump had paid minimal income taxes before his first presidential term.

The agreement also stipulated that the IRS could not investigate President Trump, his family, or his businesses for tax offenses. When the agreement was announced in May, Blanche assured that Trump would receive extensive legal protection, stating, "Nothing has changed in that regard." Blanche, who previously served as Trump's personal attorney, had earlier asserted the fund's legality.

The fund plans had previously drawn outrage over the use of taxpayer money. Blanche had not ruled out the possibility that its funds could be given to those involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Supporters of Trump stormed the Capitol that day, resulting in deaths and injuries. Hundreds were convicted of violence aimed at overturning the 2020 election results.

Opposition from Republican senators also contributed to Blanche's decision. Many senators criticized the fund as an ethical minefield, especially as rising living costs burden citizens. They made blocking the fund a condition for supporting an immigration control bill crucial to Trump. Congress has broader concerns about transferring constitutional authority over federal funding to Trump, as deciding the federal budget is a core congressional duty.