Donald Trump is establishing a billion-dollar fund to distribute money to his supporters and individuals involved in the attempted government overthrow to maintain his presidency. This fund will be financed by American taxpayers, whether they approve or not.
Earlier this year, Donald Trump took legal action against the IRS, the US equivalent of HMRC, for the unauthorized disclosure of his tax records during his initial term in office. The whistleblower who leaked the records is currently serving a 5-year prison sentence, but Trump pursued further action against the IRS, seeking $10 billion in damages.
The lawsuit raised eyebrows for two main reasons. Firstly, the requested amount was exorbitant, surpassing the IRS’s operational budget by a significant margin. Secondly, as the President, Trump holds authority over the IRS and the Justice Department representing them, essentially placing him on both sides of the legal dispute.
Upon scrutiny by the presiding judge, who demanded an explanation for this conflict of interest, the parties opted to settle out of court just before facing dismissal. The settlement amounted to $1.7 billion. Trump had previously claimed that any funds acquired would be donated to charity, but this plan has been abandoned.
Instead, the proposed fund will allocate $1.7 billion to compensate individuals whom Trump believes were mistreated by the justice system during and after his initial term. This includes pardoned individuals involved in the January 6th insurrection, some of whom were convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers. The operational structure of the fund raises concerns.
Decisions on payouts will be made by a six-member board, with five members appointed by the Attorney General, currently represented by Todd Blanche, a former personal lawyer of Donald Trump. The sixth member will be selected in consultation with congressional leadership. However, the President retains the authority to dismiss any board member at will, casting doubt on the impartiality of the process.
Critics, including the House Judiciary Committee, have condemned the fund as fraudulent and unethical, emphasizing the inherent conflict of interest in a case where one individual acts as both plaintiff and defendant.
Donald Sherman, the president of government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, labeled the fund as one of the most corrupt acts in American history. The plan has drawn comparisons to historical scandals, with some likening it to being worse than Watergate.
The allocated amount of $1.776 billion carries symbolic significance, referencing the year of the American revolution, 1776. This gesture is interpreted as Trump endorsing the actions of the January 6th insurrectionists, portraying them as patriots and hinting at rewards for criminal behavior in support of his agenda.
The implications of this fund extend beyond corruption allegations, raising concerns about the potential for more severe consequences if Trump’s intentions involve remaining in power beyond his term.
