A detailed analysis of Donald Trump's $1.8 billion ‘anti-weaponization’ settlement fund, highlighting how it protects the Trump family and rewards loyalists while displaying legal corruption and enshrining Trumpian language in official government documents.
If you can't access your feeds, please contact customer support. Donald Trump ’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” settlement fund has stunned legal experts—not just because it’s corrupt, but because of how skillfully and transparently it is designed to protect the Trump family and reward loyalists.
On this week’s Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick brings together two of the sharpest observers of Trump-era lawlessness to map exactly what this is and why it matters. J.P.
Cooney, a career federal prosecutor and former top deputy in Jack Smith’s special counsel’s office, explains how President Trump sued his own IRS as a private party, settled the case through attorneys who have also been his personal lawyers, and then secured an addendum—signed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche—immunizing Trump and his family from any IRS audit or tax-enforcement proceeding. Cooney calls it “practiced, skillful corruption.
”, and a veteran of five Trump trials, points out, this settlement enshrines Trumpian language— such as “unlawful raid at Mar-a-Lago” and “Russia collusion hoax”—in official U.S. government documents. Bernstein says it’s vital to be clear about who stands to receive payouts: people convicted of seditious conspiracy, assaulting Capitol police officers, and other crimes they admitted to in open court.
Cooney and Bernstein agree this fund doesn’t just reward insurrection—it incentivizes future violence, chills legitimate dissent, and systematically erases the historical record of Jan. 6. —and to explain why the most anonymous justice on the court is so pivotal to understanding the power and the politics of the highest court in the land. Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis.
Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on
Donald Trump Legal Settlement Corruption Anti-Weaponization Trump Family Loyalists IRS IRS Audit Tax Enforcement Insurrection Seditious Conspiracy Assaulting Capitol Police Officers Trump Trials Jan. 6 Power Politics Highest Court Supreme Court
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
One of Meta’s big legal reckonings just ended in a settlementYouTube, Snap, and TikTok also settled, but there’s still thousands of cases on deck.
Read more »
Legal fight could delay a proposed $7B settlement for lawsuits in Roundup cancer claimsA proposed $7.25 billion settlement over claims that Roundup weedkiller causes cancer now faces potential delays.
Read more »
Legal fight could delay a proposed $7B settlement for lawsuits in Roundup cancer claimsA proposed $7.25 billion settlement over claims that Roundup weedkiller causes cancer now faces potential delays.
Read more »
Legal fight could delay a proposed $7B settlement for lawsuits in Roundup cancer claimsProposed settlement faces disruption after attorney filed to move case to federal court.
Read more »