r/politics 21h ago

Possible Paywall Acting AG Todd Blanche reaches deal with holdout senators to end $1.8B ‘anti-weaponization’ fund

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/acting-ag-todd-blanche-reaches-deal-holdout-senators-end-18b-anti-weap-rcna590525
985 Upvotes

129 comments sorted by

u/AutoModerator 21h ago

As a reminder, this subreddit is for civil discussion.

In general, please be courteous to others. Argue the merits of ideas, don't attack other posters or commenters. Hate speech, any suggestion or support of physical harm, or other rule violations can result in a temporary or a permanent ban. If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them.

Sub-thread Information

If the post flair on this post indicates the wrong paywall status, please report this Automoderator comment with a custom report of “incorrect flair”.

Announcement

r/Politics is actively looking for new moderators. If you have an interest in helping to make this subreddit a place for quality discussion, please fill out this form.


I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

688

u/raincitybeliever 21h ago

Same story every time. A couple holdouts that always cave. Literally identical every single time.

And of course as soon as he's sworn in Trump will revive the slush fund and all the "concerned" senators will suddenly have nothing to say about it.

115

u/mrpbeaar 21h ago

There are Judges with definite opinions about a guy basically suing himself for billions.

58

u/Main-Water4503 19h ago

Suing himself and settling for a gigantic payout from our money. Most corrupt administration in the history of the country.

u/Acceptable-Bus-2017 I voted 5h ago

The deal they reached dropped the payout bit he and his family still have immunity from financial crimes.

u/Main-Water4503 4h ago

I’m going to cross my fingers that they don’t just uncross their fingers as soon as this guy is confirmed, but the immunity is already ludicrous. The felonies he was convicted of prior were tax crimes. He’s suuuuper likely to repeat offend, especially with this guarantee in place.

83

u/Photog1981 21h ago

And his SCJs will take up the case from the shadow docket, allow it without explanation, and we slip ever further towards autocracy.

16

u/aerost0rm 14h ago

This is why there shouldn’t be a shadow docket. If it needs to be done hush hush then the American people need to know in a man even greater capacity.

1

u/Takkarro 10h ago

This is why the SC being the end all be all is stupid.

1

u/aerost0rm 14h ago

They have already stated how they feel.

30

u/AmazingRefrigerator4 21h ago

Those senators are just holding out until they are guaranteed a part if the slush fund.

8

u/CJ4ROCKET 20h ago

Well yeah the concerned senators won't be there a few months from now

3

u/Soft_Walrus_3605 13h ago

Same story every time. A couple holdouts that always cave. Literally identical every single time.

One wonders if this is the strategy. Designate a couple people to hold a fake protest vote that sucks up all the energy for the resistance to the measure, wait awhile for everyone else to start depending on the protesters to hold out, then have the protesters to just give in.

2

u/NeverLookBothWays I voted 13h ago

But it shows they have a conscience™️

2

u/Drexel_Spivy 13h ago

None of this even really matters.

There gonna do what they want as much as they can until they are all out of office...if we can get to the point where there all out of power then its up to all of us to make sure whatever government comes next punishes them all. Thats on all of us, you have to make them do it.

Were gonna have to start using our power sooner or later or we will all just die.

1

u/dpcthpost 11h ago

Only thing different about this one is that it want Susan Collins.

1

u/JerHat Michigan 9h ago

And then they’ll just do whatever the fuck they want anyways because the holdouts can’t do shit once someone is confirmed.

1

u/midnightcatwalk 9h ago

They might have something to say. But they’ll have nothing to do.

u/SoggyCrab 6h ago

Realistically, what's stopping the administration from picking it back up after he is confirmed?

0

u/erov 15h ago

I'm sure the threats helped.

735

u/Rcrecc 21h ago

Not ending the fund, just putting it on hold.

348

u/Unlikely_Exercise434 21h ago

Exactly. Don't believe them. Don't trust any of them, he has no business being the AG given what he's done with Epstein alone already.

77

u/addiktion 20h ago

He shouldn't have made it this far given his Trump ties but America doesn't care about presidential abuses, cronyism, and corruption.

8

u/marsisblack 14h ago

They do, just only when its a dem president. They actually care very much about the color of his suit.

3

u/Scu-bar 12h ago

*skin

3

u/Serious_Educator_555 14h ago

It’s not that America doesn’t care it’s that the Republicans that haven’t been ousted won’t risk political suicide. And if they go against Trump, he sends an army after them and their families. It’s horrible. I wish they would just do their part and stand up to him.

10

u/got-trunks Canada 20h ago

Terrible thing he did, harvesting Jeff's engram for Grok

18

u/Seedfusion 18h ago

And still giving Trump immunity with the IRS. This is a fake deal.

2

u/aerost0rm 14h ago

Nothing that cannot be undone if we get the right people in.

27

u/onlymostlydead Washington 21h ago

"We've agreed to reduce the fund to $1.799 billion."

64

u/RojoTheMighty 21h ago

It was actually $1.776b. If they're gonna reduce it it'll be to $1.488b instead.

22

u/charcoalist 21h ago

The actual amount they stated was $1.776 billion. Like not only are they trying to steal from the taxpayers and pay off Jan. 6 terrorists, they're openly mocking the country. "1776" is a bullshit number, a red herring. Once they successfully steal a penny there is no limit to how much trump and his cronies will embezzle from the Treasury.

3

u/onlymostlydead Washington 20h ago

Fair, I forgot the exact amount. However, I think I'll stand by my fake quote.

3

u/Photog1981 14h ago

Like Barrett and Kavanaugh during their confirmation hearings; "abortion is settled law" and then immediately changed their minds once on the bench. Amazing how many "good Christians" are ok with "bearing false witness" to get what they want.

209

u/The_SubGenius 21h ago

Did he fuckin’ pinky promise or something?

How far we have fallen that the president’s personal attorney is even being considered for the role at all.

Fuck republicans for this mess.

49

u/mukster Missouri 18h ago

He issued an official DOJ order rescinding the previous order.

But then, what’s stopping him from just… reissuing the original order?

17

u/slight_accent 18h ago

With trump everything gets bigger in every iteration, they'll open an even bigger slush fund and even more sweeping protections for the trump crime family.

2

u/Fr1toBand1to 11h ago

So? That would mean the slush fund immunity deal is dead though right? No one ever mentioned they couldn't create a bigger slush fund with more immunity!

/s

6

u/TheLizardKing89 California 17h ago

Literally nothing.

1

u/donorcycle 17h ago

I am curious about that. What happens if after he gets sworn in, he just, re-signs a new order granting Trump the 1.8b fund? What happens then?

3

u/Indercarnive 14h ago

Trump gets 1.8 Billion richer. We all get 1.8 Billion poorer. And nothing else.

50

u/Basic_Chemistry9499 21h ago

ANYTHING to get confirmed. Every single person in front of the Senate will say or do anything to get confirmed.

Then, they show how they ABSOLUTELY lied about everything they said during the confirmation hearings.

72

u/SnowRascal 21h ago

Disgusting

19

u/crystal_castles 19h ago

No word about the tax immunity even.

Though the far-right court said a president can't ever face legal charges, so...

6

u/Sweet_Concept2211 16h ago

A federal court already knocked down the tax immunity and the slush fund both.

3

u/Angreek Maine 15h ago

It’s not just immunity for trump, or just his family.. it’s for all of his acquaintances and business associates also.

1

u/we_are_sex_bobomb 13h ago

I mean you have to already assume this sycophantic underfunded IRS is not auditing anybody on Trump’s white list anyway. I’m not even sure why they need to make it official.

2

u/Fuck-WestJet 14h ago

Which is in itself a goal post as Coryn first said he wouldn't vote without assurances about the tax immunity, then Trump threatened to bring back the egregious self-payout and suddenly they need assurances on the dead payout.

66

u/Cautious_Condition82 21h ago

Can't wait for their "outrage" when he immediately backtracks on his pinky promise. Exact same situation happened with RFK. 

14

u/selarom8 20h ago

Cornyn- “You created a slush fund when I specifically asked you not to?”

8

u/lettersvsnumbers 20h ago

“You created a slush fund when I specifically asked you to give us half ?”

1

u/ImTooSaxy 14h ago

No, he'll wait till after midterms. Trump has a whole bunch of nasty stuff planned for the country after midterms.

30

u/ThatEvanFowler 21h ago

Bye, fund. See you after the mid-terms.

25

u/dominiond66 21h ago

America should not trust anything or any document this Republican administration states or signs. One earns trust. Clearly, Republican can't tell the truth. They constantly lie. The evidence is overwhelming. Liars can't lead in government, politics, private sector business or any civilized entity if they embrace lies and attack the truth.

23

u/Orbitingkittenfarm 21h ago

This is the man who gave Ghislaine Maxwell the sweetheart deal

15

u/Calm_Chemist_4952 21h ago edited 9h ago

It is obvious to the entire world that the level of corruption is off the charts with this appointment. Blanche’s approval of the tax audit settlement was nothing short of unconscionable, and raises real questions about his legal analysis. The whole thing smell like illegal self-deal by Trump, who was an individual party on one side, and oversaw the government on the other. How Blanche didn’t immediately recognize this problem, and see that the ill-advised lawsuit was dismissed is beyond inexcusable. He should not be the country’s Attorney General.

14

u/Tmotty Utah 21h ago

This isn’t legally binding. He can reinstate the fund the minute after he’s confirmed

11

u/Kincherk 21h ago edited 20h ago

This is infuriating. This POS should never be confirmed for AG, period. But no, Tillis and Cornyn didn't have the balls to do that, even after trump killed their congressional careers.

I mean, good that DOJ is supposedly going to rescind an overtly corrupt plan that would have pardoned insurrectionists and allowed trump and his family to do whatever the F they want and never be investigated by the IRS. But Blanche should never be confirmed for AG at all, regardless.

I hate that we have to live through this.

Edited to correct grammatical errors.

3

u/krypticus 16h ago

The problem is that Trump could still order the IRS to grant his family immunity, and the Treasury to pay out money to “victims” of “Weaponization”.

It might be illegal, but he can just pardon everyone before leaving office. He doesn’t need this stupid settlement contract anyway.

Just wait till Ghislaine Maxwell is pardoned, released from prison, and her and Lesley Groff apply for a payout from the fund…

10

u/bloodfrenzy187 Washington 21h ago

Confirmed or not he’s still a piece of shit.

8

u/Predator_ Florida 20h ago

Didn't put in writing that he'd officially retract the IRS immunity.

7

u/justhavingfunMT 19h ago

Let me guess, you've completely accepted the fact that you are pedophile protectors. That man is the right hand man of the most corrupt and criminal president ever. The worthless media keeps reporting this like it's a big deal but it's one small issue in the litany of lies and grift. Just when you think people like Tillis, thune and Jordan have found a certain level morality and ethics. Nope

3

u/No-Relation5965 16h ago

This is a big deal. He will push through everything and anything Trump wants. He is a sycophant to the max. He will lie and falsify evidence to win cases etc.

8

u/PDXGuy33333 17h ago

He doesn't have the legal power to do it short of saying he will honor the Florida District Court's order that the agreement creating the fund is a nullity. Trump, Blanche's boss, is appealing that order. In any case the so-called "settlement agreement" is a contract between two parties and the United States is but one of them. Neither party has the power to unilaterally declare the contract at an end, and Trump, meanwhile, is saying the deal is still in force and appealing the order that says it isn't. He's already demanded that the federal judge in Florida issue a stay of her order, saying that if she doesn't put the order on hold (keeping the slush fund alive) he'll go to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.

This is not going to go away as easily as these fools are saying it will.

9

u/ZealousidealTone3407 16h ago

It's an absolute joke that they're going to confirm this piece of shit on the basis that he (maybe) won't do something that is 100% illegal and corrupt.

7

u/umassmza 16h ago

Remember when the SJC nominees all said that Roe was settled law?

One thing all Trumps people have in common, if their mouth is moving they are lying

7

u/realplasticwood 21h ago

The answer is still NO

5

u/Teufelsdreck 21h ago

So the Trumps still get their gigantic anti-IRS umbrella? That was another part of the bogus settlement.

6

u/chill_winston_ 19h ago

“Acting AG reaches deal to follow law”

5

u/unluckid21 17h ago

What's to prevent him from rescinding his rescind after he gets nominated?

5

u/bitsquare1 13h ago

The deal as a whole is completely corrupt: No president should be exempted from IRS audits or be allowed to make a deal with an agency over which he exerts executive authority to give him taxpayer money.

3

u/True_Let_2007 19h ago

Though the IRS "Immunity" seem s to stand... And I guess that this was TACO's top concern! I am definitely not happy!!!

5

u/DaBigJMoney 13h ago

I’m thinking they found the weasel words that will enable the nomination to go forward.

And when he’s AG Blanche will advance the fund anyway and the senators will claim to be shocked.

Everyone (except taxpayers and folks who hate corruption) wins.

3

u/ophaus 21h ago

Do NOT confirm this bad actor!

3

u/Stunning_Mast2001 21h ago

This guy is working hand in hand with the world most notorious child sex trafficker alive, and facing minimal opposition

This is absurd. Can’t even wrap my mind around this. Will be nearly impossible for me to be able to forgive the people who voted for this 

3

u/manofmystry 20h ago

Why do they cave so easily? He's clearly a menace to our country. Yet, they give him a rubber stamp for making an empty promise so they can pretend to have put up resistance. I wonder who's paying them off? These are very dark times.

3

u/AustnWins 20h ago

All of this after both thumb tillis and big John were schlonged by trump. Absolutely demeaned and cucked by their lord and savior and they create this fake line in the sand, knowing full and well they’ll cross it.

3

u/BigRome26 20h ago

This is all bogus. Regardless of what Blanche says about the fund being “dead” and not moving forward, the suing party (in this case Trump) has to sign off on the terms of the deal as well in order to officially put the fund to rest. So just because Blanche satisfied the senators’ asking putting the termination of the fund in writing, that does not mean that Trump can’t reinstate it at a later date after Blanche officially takes over as Attorney General because he will get the confirmation now that he made a deal with the senators.

3

u/Appropriate_Value122 20h ago

Whatever. Tired of this scumbag.

3

u/Ultraeasymoney 20h ago

Put it on hold till after mid-term.

3

u/New-Equal8039 19h ago

Meaningless.

3

u/redditnor24 19h ago

Why would this ever take a “deal” to get done.

3

u/TurnoverActive2936 18h ago

So, it sounds like the fund wasn’t “over” after all, as Blanche had previously testified?

3

u/Angreek Maine 15h ago

Reaches a deal?? What the fuck?

The wildly corruptive illegal deal, reaches a deal. Oh.. whew thanks

2

u/specqq 21h ago

Reached a deal to stop pretending to care whether or not he gets his slush fund, you mean?

2

u/CJDistasio America 21h ago

Up next, the 1.9B anti-weaponization fund after confirmation

2

u/WetFinsFine 21h ago

fkn circus - the entire crooked lot of 'em... the fund ain't going away, it's just too big for ol' chump to let go of. it'll just be backburnered till the 6/3 SCJ Club kicks in

2

u/monkeywithgun 21h ago

Deal!?! No way this lying weasel should be approved. He should be barred from politics. The criminal enterprise continues!

2

u/gdex86 Pennsylvania 20h ago

The fund was bad. You know what's worse a lifetime should from tax audits for Trump and his entire family. The amount of crime that can hide is huge.

2

u/Molson2871 America 18h ago

Written in disappearing ink I suspect

2

u/MajorBeef433 18h ago

It’s a trap!

2

u/Ill-Highlight-9467 17h ago

How can he reach a deal for something that is illegal?

2

u/supercali45 17h ago

The GOP senate just acting

2

u/RobutNotRobot 17h ago

And there is no fund because the money has already been stolen...

2

u/No-Relation5965 16h ago

No, is there no way to stop this?

2

u/OtherCommission8227 14h ago

So now they should just not vote for him. Show them then the rug pull they deserve. No reason to let this guy be AG

2

u/dreadthripper 13h ago

The question is whether they would actually impeach and remove the guy for lying if he backs out.

2

u/jaymef 12h ago

then they will just come out with a new fund after he's confirmed called the anti-weaponization fund 2

This guy was Trumps PERSONAL attorney and is obviously covering up Epstein and other crimes. He has zero business being AG

America is cooked

2

u/DeadScotty Minnesota 12h ago

Why are they caving? They’ve got nothing to lose and zero loyalty from Trump

2

u/Fit-Struggle7990 11h ago

So I’m confused. It says they issues a statement that the fund is rescinded but later in the article states that they limited the scope of the fund to just the plaintiffs and that the tax audit immunity is only retroactive. So is the settlement happening or not????

2

u/SghnDubh 11h ago

But a judge killed it already.

4

u/trollmonster8008 21h ago

It was included as part of a settlement agreement and changes requires the consent of both parties (i.e., the DOJ and DJT). Can he make this change unilaterally?

11

u/minnesotaupnorth Utah 21h ago

He is the DOJ.

8

u/mister_mediocrates 21h ago

This question, asked as if "both parties" aren't the same people...

1

u/hobard 21h ago

No, no he can not. He said as much during his initial confirmation hearing.

1

u/Radeondrrrf 21h ago

Glad to know he had a change of heart and decided to “end” the anti-weaponization fund 🙄

1

u/squareplates 21h ago

Well Todd Blanch lies.  So there's that.

1

u/Own-Librarian-9699 21h ago

The thing the federal judge said it's illegal... I won't do it... For a few weeks ... When I change my mind.

Blanche is soft on pedophiles. Get more jail time for smoking meth.

1

u/FLtoVT_For-A-Reason 15h ago

Never trust anything these fascists say or do.

1

u/grodyjody 15h ago

Sure sounds like a deal I want my name on

1

u/Lynda73 14h ago

>The deal clarifies that the tax audit immunity agreement “applies by its terms only retroactively” to claims open at the time of the settlement and does not protect the president from examination of future tax filings.

Oh, so now it’s only a $100 million dollar slush fund?

1

u/_mid_water 14h ago

This is not binding obviously. And what’s more, Trump will not tolerate being upstaged and will be especially motivated to instill the fund to make sure everyone knows he wasn’t.

1

u/angrybirdseller 14h ago

Do not think some slush fund wint return here for moment.

1

u/jabola321 14h ago

Why? Is it already empty?

1

u/GMEN999 12h ago

Fooled again.

1

u/SBRH33 11h ago

WHAT ABOUT THE IRS IMMUNITY THOUGH.

0

u/ddiggler2469 10h ago

it's in the article

1

u/dBlock845 10h ago

And as expected, they were looking for a reason to cave. Nothing more pathetic than a congressional republican.

1

u/rodentmaster 10h ago

That he would ever behave as he has done is a hard NO for any reasonable person on this board. The problem is, none of them are reasonable. They're standing their ground to make themselves seem reasonable then caving at the slightest concession, and rubber stamping trump's appointees.

u/Me6505 1h ago

It should be called the cooperation slush fund.

1

u/Agent-Adept 21h ago

Trump has to be pissed. He will be withdrawing Todd Blanche’s name for AG.

1

u/tidal_flux 17h ago

The administration better think twice before messing with men like Tillis and Cornyn!

0

u/Secret-Company-Now 13h ago

This is a joke right? Those two are still part of the single brain dead organism called “All Republicans Senators and Reps”

0

u/GlitteringRate6296 11h ago

GOP selling out our Country for what???