Republican Defies Trump, Joins Democrat To Kill Weaponization Victim Fund
A Republican and a Democrat joined forces Thursday to defeat President Donald Trump’s $1.8 billion gun victims’ relief fund.
Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick joined New York Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi to introduce the “Bipartisan American Taxpayer Transparency Act” in an effort to stop Trump’s new Victims of Justice fund. The bill prohibits the use of federal funds for any claims subject to the recently announced “Anti-Armament Fund.”
The Department of Justice (DOJ) fund was created to reimburse Americans determined to be victims of unjust and partisan government militarization. (RELATED: Some Republican senators disagree with Trump’s arms fund)
“The machinery of government should never be used as a weapon against any American, and this Department intends to right the wrongs that were committed before while ensuring that it never happens again,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a press release Monday. “As part of this settlement, we are establishing a legal process for victims of legal and gun violence to be heard and seek redress. »
Fitzpatrick argued it was not clear enough where the money was coming from and how it would be distributed.
WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 10: Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) arrives at the U.S. Capitol on December 10, 2025 in Washington, DC. The House is expected to vote today on the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
“A nearly $1.8 billion fund controlled by the DOJ cannot be created, defined and distributed in the shadows…” Fitzpatrick said in an article on X. “Taxpayer dollars will not be turned into a discretionary payment fund,” he added. “Transparency is not optional. Accountability is non-negotiable.”
This fund was agreed to as part of a settlement between Trump and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) after the president filed a civil suit over the leak of his tax returns. Fitzpatrick argued that he and his constituents “don’t want a DOJ slush fund that hasn’t been described or explained to anyone.” (RELATED: Trump Drops $10 Billion IRS Lawsuit, DOJ Confirms Lawfare Compensation Fund)
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Republican senators Thursday after several members expressed concerns about the fund, but he insisted Americans support it.
“I don’t think this is a problem for the American people,” Blanche added. “On the contrary. I think they want their tax money spent on things like that.”
