The House Judiciary Committee rejected Democrats’ attempt to subpoena top Trump administration officials to testify about the creation of the new $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund.
Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the panel, had tried to force the subpoenas during a separate hearing Wednesday on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s legal troubles.
GOP lawmakers tabled the idea on an 18-17 vote.
The fund has become a lightning rod for criticism for Democrats and some Republicans.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche — who set up the fund and who was one of the targets of Mr. Raskin’s subpoenas — said the idea is to compensate people who suffered wrongful investigation and prosecution by the Biden administration.
Mr. Raskin called it just a potential “slush fund” for President Trump’s allies.
The fund was created as part of a settlement with Mr. Trump, who agreed to drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS for leaking his secret tax information during his first term.
An anti-Trump IRS contractor exploited weaknesses in the tax agency’s systems to export Mr. Trump’s information. He then gave it to The New York Times, which reported on it.
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