Acting AG Blanche Grilled on ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund, Epstein Files

Lawmakers grilled acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Tuesday about the Justice Department’s “anti-weaponization” fund and the ongoing battle over the Jeffrey Epstein files. The temporary DOJ head had some good news and some bad news – but that all depends on who you ask. 

Blanche: ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund Dead

Blanche told lawmakers that the Justice Department has officially pulled the plug on the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund – created under President Donald Trump’s recent settlement with the IRS - which would have been used to “issue formal apologies and monetary relief” to victims of lawfare and weaponization.

After facing unexpected backlash from Republicans in Congress, Blanche told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, "Look, we're not moving forward with the fund.” He continued:

“The reasons for the fund is [sic] something that President Trump talked about for a long time, which is the fact that there were a lot of people in this country who had their government weaponized against them. The reasons for the fund, I think, were -- remain as important as they were before, but we are not moving forward with the fund."

Blanche’s testimony comes just days after a Virginia-based federal judge temporarily blocked the fund from moving forward after GOP lawmakers objected to the effort that could have resulted in taxpayer-funded payouts to Jan. 6 demonstrators.

In an apparent show of support for such protestors, President Trump shared an article on Truth Social by Weaponization Watch – a Substack project by the nonprofit Hughes Foundation - that argued the “anti-weaponization” fund was reasonable: “J6 families have been through hell and back over politics. Many lost nearly everything because they supported the ‘wrong’ political movement at the wrong time. And now, as the dust has settled, their stories, pain, and children matter. And if there was abuse, overreach, or misconduct, they deserve compensation.”

While Blanche insisted the “anti-weaponization” fund is dead in the water, the acting attorney general refused to put his claim in writing despite being pressed to do so by Democrats on the subcommittee.

Heated Epstein Exchange

In a heated exchange, Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) asked Blanche when he “will comply with the law and release all of the remaining files” related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Blanche insisted the DOJ has complied with the law, at which point Dean interrupted the acting AG and claimed there are still 3 million files that haven’t been released.

“This Department of Justice will always protect victims and will always prosecute anybody we can. Full stop. No ifs, ands, or buts,” Blanche said as Dean held up heavily redacted documents, a move the attorney general condemned as a “game of showmanship” that used the redacted names of victims to imply misconduct on the part of the DOJ. 

Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump late last year, the attorney general is required “to release all documents and records in possession of the Department of Justice relating to Jeffrey Epstein, and for other purposes.” Former AG Pam Bondi recently told lawmakers that the DOJ had “produced everything” that the law required “to the best of [her] knowledge.” Bondi then explained, according to multiple reports, that she had “delegated oversight over this process to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.”

So, the “anti-weaponization” fund is dead - at least for now. And when it comes to questions related to the files on Jeffrey Epstein, well, around and around we go.