Folks, I almost spilled my coffee reading this one. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has seemingly satisfied the demands of Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, at least enough to advance his nomination as full attorney general. But let’s take a closer look at this whole situation. Blanche issued a written document late Sunday that purports to rescind President Donald Trump’s highly controversial “anti-weaponization” fund and limit the tax immunity that Trump’s own government gave him in the same settlement. Sounds like a big deal, right? But the assurances aren’t exactly iron-clad.
I mean, come on, the settlement itself still exists, and could seemingly be enforced. And even after this standoff, Trump still maintains a massive personal financial benefit from the legally dubious settlement — one Cornyn and Tillis apparently haven’t objected to. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey, we’re good with this.” Bless their hearts.
Now, I know some of you might be thinking, “But Big Elephant, this is all very complicated.” And you’re right, it is. But let me break it down for you. The problem with Blanche rescinding the “anti-weaponization” fund order is that it wouldn’t seem to necessarily fully kill off the fund. As the National Review’s Andrew McCarthy has explained, the settlement’s terms state that it could be “modified only with the written agreement of the parties.” That would include Trump.
So while Blanche has rescinded a separate order he wrote that actually created the fund under the terms of the settlement, the settlement itself still exists — and could seemingly be enforced. It’s like they’re playing a game of semantic dodgeball. And even some supporters of the anti-weaponization fund suggested Blanche’s document could just be rendered moot.
But here’s the thing: even if the narrower scope is operable, the updated terms would still allow Trump a major potential financial benefit. The New York Times has written that giving Trump personal immunity from past tax issues could spare him a $100 million tax penalty. That’s a pretty big deal, if you ask me.
And let’s not forget, this immunity will have come from a lawsuit and settlement that a judge has said amounted to an effort to “manipulate the judicial process.” This is because Trump earned the settlement by suing a federal government that he personally exercises control over. It’s like he’s playing both sides of the fence.
In the end, it’s still subject to court battles that could invalidate Trump’s immunity. But Cornyn, Tillis, and the Republicans who are going to vote to confirm Blanche have apparently greenlit a potential major financial windfall for Trump — a man who has already reaped huge financial rewards from the presidency, rather shamelessly.
So, yes, Blanche ultimately gave in somewhat. The whole thing surely makes it more difficult to revive the “anti-weaponization” fund, at least politically. But it’s not a case of GOP senators holding a hard line against Trump and getting iron-clad concessions that leave him empty-handed. Far from it. As Cornyn said last week of his demands, “It’s not a big ask.” Indeed. It’s all just a big game of political chess, and I’m not sure who’s going to come out on top. But one thing’s for sure, folks: this whole thing is a big mess, and I’m just happy to be sitting here with my coffee, watching it all unfold. 😊
In conclusion, the situation with Blanche’s nomination and the “anti-weaponization” fund is a complex one, with many twists and turns. While Blanche has made some concessions, it’s unclear how effective they will be in the long run. One thing’s for sure, though: Trump is still coming out of this with a major financial benefit, and that’s just the way the cookie crumbles, folks. And that’s a pretty sad state of affairs, if you ask me. But hey, at least I’ve got my coffee to keep me company while I’m reading about all this drama. 🙄
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
