Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche announced a deal with Senators, putting it in writing that the J-6 slush fund is dead. A couple of Republican Senators, John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, were clutching their pearls at the prospect that Trump supporters who attacked the Capitol and injured Capitol Police would receive payouts for their service to Trump. I wrote over two months ago that the J-6ers would never get a dime from the fund; only regular Trump loyalists would get paid.
William Spivey
The deal struck leaves even the loyalists out. Other Treasury Department funds can authorize payouts as they already have. The long-standing Judgment Fund is a permanent, indefinite appropriation managed by the U.S. Treasury. It exists so federal agencies — including DOJ — can resolve lawsuits without needing Congress to pass a new appropriation each time.
Key features:
- Covers court judgments and settlements against federal agencies.
- Used across administrations, regardless of political alignment.
- Not limited to civil rights or “unfair treatment” claims — it pays everything from contract disputes to constitutional claims.
- Agencies do not pay from their own budgets, which prevents litigation from crippling agency operations.
Trump crony Michael Flynn received a DOJ‑related payout. Amount: ~$1.25 million based on a claim of malicious prosecution during the Mueller investigation. He had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, later withdrew the plea, and was pardoned by Trump. The DOJ calls the Flynn payout a step toward correcting “historic injustice” of the Russia probe. Flynn also received a payment after he alleged the Army improperly withheld $38,000 from his retirement pay over foreign‑payment approval rules.
Others who may soon get paid from the Treasury fund are Roger Stone, Paul Manafort, George Papadopoulos, and Steve Bannon. Don’t look for David Hearn, a three‑time Olympic canoeist, to get compensated for his malicious prosecution. All charges against him for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool were dropped after federal investigators concluded the damage came from a botched contractor installation, not vandalism. Trump’s friends will still get paid, but the slush fund was never important to Trump. It was something he could give up in negotiations to get what he really wanted.
Todd Blanche issued an addendum barring the government from continuing any existing audits of tax returns filed by Donald Trump, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and the Trump Organization.
This immunity applies only to the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, not to affiliated entities. Blanche later clarified this in writing under pressure from Senate Republicans during his AG confirmation process.
“Simply put, you just gave the president’s family a tax immunity to the tune of about $100 million,” — Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn
I wrote more recently that the only thing that mattered to Trump was the tax relief for himself and his family. The previous agreement provided such relief not only to family members and the Trump Organization but also to a host of unknown associates and organizations. That list has now been whittled down to Trump, two of his sons, and the Trump Organization. Trump may have some explaining to do to Melania about why Barron was excluded. Barron’s net worth has been estimated at $150 million by Forbes, and he might not want the tax scrutiny his brothers avoided. As for Ivanka, she and Jarred have received billions in questionable deals over the last decade. Let them fend for themselves.
William Spivey
The deal to confirm Todd Blanche and give Trump $100 million (est) in tax immunity has already been agreed to by John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, the only Republicans standing in his way. I also wrote that Republican Senators have forgotten all about Epstein and have no intention of letting Blanche’s role in obstructing justice for the victims while protecting Trump and his friends stop Blanche’s confirmation.
William Spivey
I have a parting thought for the Republican Senators who are granting Trump millions of relief in not collecting taxes due to we the people. The same Republican Senators who have once again ignored the Epstein victims. The ones who have removed the checks and balances the Constitution intended.
I will paraphrase a lyric from Prince’s cover of the Stylistics, Betch By Golly Wow, which I’ll reinterpret as:
“A man can’t find words 2 express all the things he feels inside
But every just so often
The words of another seem 2 work out fine” — Prince
My parting thought comes from Celie in The Color Purple:
“Till you do right by me, everything you even think about gonna fail.” — Celie
That is all.