Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is preparing to unveil two legislative measures aimed at restricting disbursements from the Department of Justice's newly established $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund. The proposals seek to bar certain high-profile individuals and political operatives from accessing the fund, which was created as part of a settlement between the IRS and former President Donald Trump.
The first bill would prohibit the DOJ from issuing any payments from the fund to Trump, Vice President JD Vance, members of Congress, congressional staff, political appointees, senior executive branch employees, and presidential campaign staff, according to a report from Semafor. The second measure would retroactively ban payouts from lawsuits filed by Trump and Vance dating back to 2025.
Schiff did not mince words in his criticism. “Trump’s multi-billion-dollar slush fund is the most brazen act of self-dealing corruption we’ve ever seen,” he wrote on X. “We need to shut it down before he uses it to pay cop beaters, cronies, and other criminals. I’m introducing legislation to stop it.”
The fund stems from a $10 billion lawsuit Trump and his sons filed against the IRS, alleging the agency leaked the president’s tax returns. The settlement created the anti-weaponization fund, but its lack of clear guidelines has drawn scrutiny from both sides of the aisle. Some Republican officials have also voiced unease over the potential for payouts to individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack who promoted Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election.
Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) expressed disbelief at the prospect. “Imagine that, a fund that is set up to compensate people who assaulted Capitol Police officers and other responding agencies. People that had pled guilty to physical acts … may actually be able to get compensated. How absurd does that sound coming out of my mouth?”
Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also condemned the arrangement. “So the nation’s top law enforcement official is asking for a slush fund to pay people who assault cops? Utterly stupid, morally wrong — Take your pick,” McConnell said after a meeting with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
The debate over the fund comes as the Trump administration pushes for tighter controls on federal employees, including mandating NDAs to curb leaks. Meanwhile, Schiff’s proposals add to a growing list of congressional efforts to rein in executive branch actions, echoing broader partisan tensions over accountability and transparency.
Schiff’s legislation is unlikely to pass a Republican-controlled Congress, but it underscores the deep divisions over the fund’s purpose and potential beneficiaries. Critics argue it could become a vehicle for rewarding political allies, while supporters say it is necessary to address government overreach. The fund’s lack of oversight has left many lawmakers, including some Republicans, demanding clearer rules before any payouts are made.
