Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says ‘anti-weaponization’ fund is done

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche told a House subcommittee Tuesday that the Trump administration will not establish a $1.776 billion fund to benefit its allies.

Blanche said during testimony before the subcommittee that "We are not moving forward with the fund, period," according to The Associated Press.

Congressional Republicans had expressed opposition to the fund in recent days. A federal judge last week temporarily blocked the formation of the fund, and the Justice Department had said it would follow the order.

The fund was part of President Donald Trump's settlement with the IRS over the release of his tax returns. Trump sued the IRS for $10 billion. The fund would have awarded payments to people the Trump administration says were targeted by a politically "weaponized" criminal justice system.

Blanche said the part of the settlement that shields the Trump family from audits will remain in place, according to The AP.