“Taxpayers should not be forced to bankroll political revenge tours and payouts for Donald Trump and his cronies.” — Rep. Jasmine Crockett
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) introduced H.R. 8885 — the STOP TRUMP Act. Short for the Stop Taxpayer-funded Reimbursement for Unlawful Misconduct by Presidents Act. It came one day after the Justice Department announced a $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to pay people who say they were targeted by past administrations.
Crockett’s bill would block federal money from going to a sitting president, his allies, or January 6 defendants through such settlements. It would also void existing payouts and require the money to be returned. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, grilled before lawmakers on Tuesday, would not rule out that January 6 rioters could apply for the fund.
Trump himself has not commented. Over 90 House Democrats had already filed an amicus brief warning the DOJ deal could create a “specter of corruption.”