BREAKING NEWS: RULES COMMITTEE REPUBLICANS PROTECT TRUMP’S ILLEGAL JANUARY 6th SLUSH FUND

WASHINGTON—Every House Rules Committee Republican present at today’s hearing voted to protect Donald Trump’s $1.8 billion slush fund—an outrageously illegal plan to funnel taxpayer dollars to Trump’s political allies, including members of his own family and violent January 6th rioters who brutally assaulted law enforcement officers during their attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Trump created the fund after suing his own IRS—and then settling with himself after his own administration leaked the tax returns he had previously promised he would release. The settlement creates a secretive, unconstitutional $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund that can be used to pay off Trump allies with no requirement for the public to ever even learn where their money is going.

During today’s Rules Committee meeting, Ranking Member Jim McGovern (D-MA) forced a vote on bringing legislation to the floor to prevent the slush fund from being used to compensate convicted felons who brutally assaulted law enforcement officers at the Capitol Building on January 6th.

Every Republican present at the markup voted no.

McGovern’s motion, which was defeated 3-7 on a party-line vote, would have also required the Attorney General to disclose to Congress, within 15 days, any settlements or payments made through Trump’s so-called “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” Currently, there is no requirement to publicly disclose anyone who gets government money from Trump’s new slush fund—including members of his own inner circle and even his family.

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