The justice department on Monday said it was temporarily suspending the compensation scheme, citing the court decision. But critics, including some Republicans, demanded the administration go further and make clear it was giving up on the idea altogether. Blanche finally pulled the plug on Tuesday, telling House lawmakers: “We’re not moving forward with the fund.”
But that likely isn’t the end of the saga. Much as the administration may want to move on, the issue won’t disappear anytime soon. Blanche also told lawmakers he wasn’t “committing to putting anything in writing”, a sign some interpreted as leaving the door open to return to the issue in the future. And even before Blanche’s announcement, critics on Tuesday vowed to press forward with legal challenges.
“Litigation provides a safeguard to make sure” Trump doesn’t revive the idea, said Norm Eisen, the co-founder of the Democracy Defenders Fund, a group representing plaintiffs in one of the lawsuits against the administration.
Democrats have also vowed to introduce amendments to the immigration bill that would prevent presidents from using taxpayer dollars to reward political allies. The issue has already become a flashpoint on the left and will surely feature in Democratic campaign ads against Trump this fall ahead of the crucial midterm elections.
On Tuesday evening, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the chamber’s top Democrat, said the administration’s promise to end the fund was not enough.
“Blanche and Trump’s words are worthless,” Schumer said in a social media post. “The only way to stop Trump’s nearly $2 billion MAGA slush fund and his blank check to commit tax fraud is to abolish it by law – permanently.”
He added: “Senate Democrats will force a vote on the floor to end Trump’s corrupt scheme for good.”