First the Toddler President sued the IRS. Then the IRS and the DOJ settled the lawsuit before the judge could issue a (probably) unfavorable ruling. The settlement agreement gives the Toddler $1.776 billion in government funds to distribute to supposed victims of “weaponized” prosecution. You know, like the J6ers who attacked the government in an attempted coup and are, in Republican mythology, martyrs persecuted by federal tyranny.
The administration’s pretenses is that as a five-person board will decide in disbursements, the Toddler will have no say. Of course all five members are his appointees, firable without cause, so the Toddler’s in charge. There are no appeals or judicial reviews of the confidential distribution of funds and nobody but the Toddler family, the Toddler organization or the IRS can appeal the settlement.
Oh, and here’s an interesting detail: “The Justice Department on Tuesday expanded the agreement it reached this week with President Trump to resolve his extraordinary lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service to include a provision that would bar the agency from pursuing tax claims against the president, his family or his businesses. In a one-page document signed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and quietly posted on the department’s website, officials vowed not to pursue any matters, including those involving Mr. Trump’s tax returns, that are currently pending.”
As we approach the midterms with Republicans increasingly unpopular, having a massive fund to payoff and reward anyone who crimes for the Toddler could be beneficial to rigging the game. Much like the Colorado governor commuting the sentence for Tina Peters, who was convicted of tampering with election equipment (JD Vance is now praising her as a martyr). If the Toddler Crime Family and those currying favor will protect you, why not do a crime?
Even if not, this is a blatantly illegal, corrupt deal. None of the J6 rioters deserves a pardon, let alone financial renumeration (unlike, say, this guy). Nor does this guy, a Toddler lackey though not a J6er, who’s seeking $2.7 million. It’s the same logic by which Justice (ironic name these days) is suing the Washington bar for disciplining the Toddler’s corrupt lawyers. And the opportunity will be abused; Andrew Johnson is a convicted pedophile who told one victim he’d buy his silence with his J6 compensation (this was before the settlement but talk about compensating the rioters has been around a while. You will be shocked (not really) that Acting AG Todd “Toady” Blance lied about this. Vance lies too, saying they’re not going to give it to any J6ers who attacked cops.
Oh, Vance also says he’s very troubled about fraudsters who steal from tax funds — but he means Medicare fraud or more likely alleged Medicare fraud (and by the little people — I don’t imagine him speaking out against former fraudster Sent. Rick Scott).
“Sen. Richard Blumenthal clearly saw the way the wind was blowing and drafted an amendment to block the administration from “making any payments to convicted child predators.” Republicans said no. And to another proposal blocking payments to convicted J6ers. We are hearing protests from one Treasury official and from Sen. Bill Cassidy. Got to say, it’s a little late for Cassidy to discover he has principles.
We’re not talking goodhearted patriotic Americans getting payouts. 78 have reoffended and “at least nine of the cases involve child sexual abuse, three are rape charges and two people have been convicted of murder while driving under the influence of alcohol – in addition to at least 19 weapons charges and nine violent assaults.”
Fred Clark at Slacktivist discusses why Republicans — the party that preened for decades that they wanted good values and morals in government — tolerates such blatant corruption. He suggests it’s the old rationalization that we’re all sinners, all corrupt, therefore the Toddler’s no more corrupt than anyone else; after all, “in God’s eyes there’s therefore no meaningful difference between taking a dubious tax deduction and being a serial killer” At the link he explains why that’s theological bullshit; I took a look at “we are all sinners” back in 2022 and how a confession of humility has been twisted into a get-out-of-jail-free card.
I do hope the next Dem president shreds this agreement, shuts down the slush fund (I imagine the Toddler will spend it all first) and ignores the press when they squeal about how Democrats shouldn’t criminalize political differences.
