Free Republic

Federal income tax experts tell POLITICO money from the DOJ's Judgment Fund, which the new $1.8 billion program is drawing on, is generally taxable.President Donald Trump isn’t supposed to directly profit from the dismissal of his lawsuit against the IRS.And yet, he could still owe taxes on the money going to set up a central feature of that deal — the $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund.”Some tax practitioners say the way that the fund, which Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced May 18, is structured likely makes it an income tax liability for the president, potentially costing hundreds of millions of...

Thune spoke directly with Paxton following Tuesday's runoff victory, marking the first reported contact between the two men since the bitter primary contest ended. A person familiar with the conversation described the call as PRODUCTIVE. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, told reporters she was "supremely disappointed" by Trump's endorsement of Paxton over Cornyn.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has the right instinct on the Department of Justice's new $1.776 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund.The idea behind the fund deserves a fair hearing; Americans who were targeted by abusive federal power should have some path toward relief, especially after years of lectures from the same political class pretending government weaponization only exists when Democrats campaign on it.Still, a good idea turns rotten fast once Washington gets control of the checkbook.President Donald Trump's administration created the fund as part of a settlement connected to Trump's lawsuit over the leak of his tax records. The agreement gives Trump and...

The D.C. establishment is showing its true colors in their latest swampy move. Senate Republicans are considering adding eligibility restrictions to the new “Anti-Weaponization Fund” as part of the ongoing reconciliation bill process. As part of the settlement agreement in “President Donald J. Trump v. Internal Revenue Service,” the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the formation of “The Anti-Weaponization Fund,” funding it with approximately $1.776 billion from the federal Judgment Fund. This agreement was formed in place of Trump or his family receiving any of the $10 billion in restitution they sought through the original lawsuit. FLASH: DOJ expands...

After Trump's Thursday announcement praising her border security work, including what Noem called the 'most secure border in American history' and $13 billion in taxpayer savings, online conservatives urged her to primary Thune in South Dakota's 2028 race. Critics label Thune disloyal with a 51% Liberty Score and past bipartisan moves, while figures like radio host Jeff Kuhner predict Noem would crush him thanks to her MAGA ties and home-state popularity. Noem has stayed silent on any Senate bid, and with Thune's $20 million war chest and strong approvals, the talk remains early speculation amid GOP tensions. This story is...

No Trump judges, no voter ID SAVE Act, 50 bills already passed by the house in limbo. Pardon my language, but this guy is a worthless piece of shit. He’s worse than a grifter Democrat. Fetterman has done more for the Republican platform than this weasel. Treacherous rat.

We haven't heard much about former Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-14) over the last couple of weeks, presumably because the investigations are continuing into the disturbing allegations of sexual assault that were made against him earlier this month, claims which resulted in his exit from the California gubernatorial race and his resignation from Congress. Someone else who we haven't heard much from beyond canned social media posts is Swalwell's (now-former?) bestie, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), whose well-documented bromance was the stuff of legends in Capitol Hill Democrat political circles. At one point, they were roommates in D.C. and going on...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following months of urging from President Trump and the American people to pass the SAVE Act and secure the integrity of U.S. elections, the party that promised to save America announced that it wasn't really interested in saving America anymore. Republican leaders in the Senate held a press conference on Tuesday to officially set aside any plan to move forward with the SAVE Act, citing a waning desire to fulfill countless campaign promises to save the country. "We know we campaigned on saving the country, but honestly, we don't really care," said Senate Majority Leader John Thune....

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Wednesday to investigate unspecified allegations against an unnamed senator. “It seems like the Senate has its own trash to take out. @LeaderJohnThune, you need to look into the allegations against one of your senators; it’s very disturbing,” Luna wrote on X. “My chief [of staff] will be contacting your chief [or staff].” The Florida Republican did not specify the nature of the allegations or which senator she was referencing. Luna has consistently called for the expulsion of lawmakers from Congress who have engaged in sexual misconduct. “I’m...

While the SAVE America Act continues to languish in the Senate under the supervision of Republican Leader John Thune, leaders and voters in several states have taken it upon themselves to secure their own elections from noncitizen voting. ...***FloridaGov. Ron DeSantis signed Florida’s own version of the SAVE Act into law last week. The law, which requires citizenship verification against REAL ID data when registering to vote, will go into effect in January of next year.***MississippiMississippi Gov. Tate Reeves also signed election integrity legislation into law last week. Named the Safeguard Honesty Integrity in Elections for Lasting Democracy (SHIELD) Act,...

The Pentagon has asked for $200 billion in funding for the war in Iran... The request has been sent to the White House, the military official said, which will review it before any request for funds is formally submitted to Congress. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the proposal. The request was reported earlier by The Washington Post. “Obviously, it takes money to kill bad guys,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said when asked about the request during a news conference on Thursday, adding: “As far as the $200 billion, I think that number could move.” On Capitol...

President Trump’s allies are planning to take over the Senate floor this week in a bid to pass the SAVE America Act, setting up a major test for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) who is under pressure from Trump and the MAGA base to extend the debate over voting reform for as long as possible. GOP senators are playing their cards close to the vest ahead of this week’s marathon debate over the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which would require people registering to vote to show documented proof of citizenship. But they’re bracing for long hours...

Washington — Senate Majority Leader John Thune made clear Tuesday that an elections bill known as the SAVE America Act faces an unlikely path to passage, reiterating his skepticism about the bill's chances as President Trump threatens a legislative blockade until Congress approves the measure."There are no easy ways to do this," Thune told reporters Tuesday. "Believe me, we've examined all the options."The legislation, which the House passed last month, would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, along with photo ID to cast a ballot. But Mr. Trump has demanded that the legislation go farther and ban all...

Conservative icon and Hollywood legend James Woods has announced he’s ditching the Republican Party. Woods, a fierce patriot and vocal supporter of President Trump, blasted the “uniparty traitors” in a fiery post on X, declaring, “I am done with the Republican Party.” Woods’ decision comes amid growing frustration with Senate Republican leadership, particularly cowardly Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), who has continuously stalled the crucial SAVE Act, a bill designed to safeguard American elections by requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration. Without this measure, Woods warns, the floodgates will remain open for election fraud, illegal aliens pouring in,...

Senate Majority Leader John Thune urged President Donald Trump on Wednesday to deliver a swift endorsement of Texas Sen. John Cornyn to potentially forestall what is widely expected to be an expensive and nasty primary runoff against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Thune told reporters he hasn’t yet spoken to Trump since the election returns from Tuesday’s primary came in but indicated he intends to personally redouble his efforts, saying Wednesday that “hopefully” the president will give Cornyn his influential nod. “[If] Trump endorses early, it saves everybody a lot of money, and … 10 weeks of a spirited campaign...

“The SAVE Act can pass today under existing procedure. The obstacle is not the filibuster. It is the habit of surrendering to a myth." Alex Muse on X. [Susan Rice video at source link] Lunacy proceeds from crime. In case you wonder why half the country has gone crazy, seek no further than Susan Rice’s stark warning to the other half of the country that is not crazy. Ms. Rice was Barack Obama’s National Security Advisor and then “Joe Biden’s” Domestic Policy Advisor. She did a podcast last week with Preet Bharaha, former US Attorney in the SDNY, now a...

Utah GOP Sen. Mike Lee implored his colleagues Wednesday to help him identify his fellow conservative senators who do not support the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act. The comment comes after Senate Majority Leader John Thune warned earlier Wednesday that the Republican conference in the upper chamber was not unified on the prospect of using the talking filibuster to pass the SAVE Act. "Not unified on using the talking filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act?" Lee posted on X. "It’s time to *get* unified. We can’t afford the consequences of inaction. GOP senators who aren’t supportive should...

‼️I just spoke with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who has asked me to add him as a cosponsor of the SAVE America Act We’re now at 45 Baby steps to SAVE America ‼️

The House this week is set to take up the SAVE America Act (the SAVE Act 2.0), an election-integrity measure that some Senate Republicans can’t seem to get behind even though the vast majority of Americans already have. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s office confirms the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register and photo identification to vote in federal elections, will hit the floor on Tuesday. While Democrats will spend hours making a mockery of truth and reality in opposing it, the legislation is expected to pass mostly along party lines — as the...

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) called on Senate Republicans on Sunday to move a government funding package without funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in order to avoid a partial government shutdown at the end of the week. Schumer urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and House GOP leaders to drop the Homeland Security appropriations bill, which would fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), from the six-bill funding package that is due to come to the Senate floor this week. “Senate Democrats will not allow the current DHS funding bill to move forward,” Schumer said in...