Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, on Sunday sharply criticized the Trump administration’s proposed $1.7 billion IRS settlement arrangement, calling the plan an unconstitutional “political slush fund” that bypasses congressional authority.
Speaking on ABC News’ “This Week,” Raskin said Congress never approved the creation of the proposed compensation fund tied to President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.
“Only Congress has the power to appropriate money, and Congress never voted on creating this $1.7 billion political slush fund at the Department of Justice,” Raskin said in comments reported by ABC News.
Trump is expected to drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service in exchange for the creation of a compensation fund for individuals claiming they were unfairly targeted by the Biden administration. The proposed arrangement could also include a public apology from the IRS.
Democrats Escalate Criticism Of Proposed Fund
The proposal has drawn growing backlash from Democratic lawmakers in recent days.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) described the potential arrangement as “among the most corrupt acts in American political history,” while Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) accused Trump of treating the Treasury as a “personal piggy bank.”
Raskin previously called the proposal “a massive and unprecedented presidential plunder of the American people.”
The compensation program could reportedly include individuals charged in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, along with Trump-affiliated entities.
Constitutional Questions Remain In Focus
Raskin argued Sunday that compensating pardoned Jan. 6 defendants could violate the Fourteenth Amendment.
“If you look at Section 4 of the Fourteenth Amendment, it says that no money can be spent by the federal government for the purposes of paying for insurrection or rebellion,” Raskin said in comments reported by ABC News.
The legal dispute has already attracted scrutiny from the courts. In April, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams questioned whether Trump, as sitting president, could legitimately sue agencies operating under his own executive authority.
Asked whether Democrats could pursue legal action against the proposed settlement, Raskin said: “Undoubtedly, we will.”
Disclaimer:Â This content was produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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