The Senate voted 49-50 to reject a Democratic amendment that would have barred the Justice Department from creating a $1.8 billion fund tied to claims of Biden-era political persecution.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Senate Republicans narrowly defeated an amendment Thursday that would have prohibited the Department of Justice from establishing a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund associated with President Donald Trump’s efforts to compensate Americans who were allegedly targeted under the Biden administration.
The amendment, introduced by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, failed by a 49-50 vote during a vote-a-rama tied to a $70 billion budget reconciliation package for immigration enforcement.
Three Republican senators crossed party lines and voted with Democrats in support of Schumer’s proposal: Susan Collins of Maine, Dan Sullivan of Alaska and John Husted of Ohio.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said this week that the Justice Department is dropping the $1.8 billion fund, which had been created to provide payments to people who were allegedly persecuted by the Biden administration. Trump and the Justice Department have indicated they are working on another plan to compensate Americans who they say were mistreated by Biden’s DOJ.
Schumer’s amendment sought to prevent the Justice Department from moving forward with the fund or any similar structure. All Democrats voted for the amendment, but it fell one vote short.
The Hill reported that the amendment would have barred the DOJ from establishing what Democrats described as a $1.8 billion fund for Trump allies.
“Senate Republicans voted on Thursday morning to defeat an amendment sponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) to prohibit the Department of Justice from establishing a $1.8 billion ‘anti-weaponization’ fund for MAGA allies, a proposal that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawmakers this week the administration would abandon,” The Hill reported.
The outlet noted that Collins, Sullivan and Husted voted for Schumer’s amendment despite the broader Republican opposition.
“Notably, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and John Husted (R-Ohio), who all face tough re-election races in November, voted for Schumer’s amendment,” The Hill reported.
The failed amendment leaves Republicans positioned to continue opposing Democratic efforts to restrict Trump administration plans related to the fund, even as Blanche has said the DOJ is abandoning the original structure.
The vote underscored divisions over how the federal government should address allegations that Americans were unfairly targeted by Biden-era prosecutions and investigations. Republicans defeated the amendment, while Democrats and three GOP senators backed the effort to block the fund through the reconciliation package.
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