Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Tom Suozzi, the bipartisan co-chairs of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, called on Sunday for Congress to block the implementation of the Justice Department\u2019s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund<\/a>.”<\/p>\n \u201cThe issue here, Jonathan, is a statute that basically bypasses Congress,\u201d Fitzpatrick told ABC News\u2019 \u201cThis Week\u201d co-anchor Jonathan Karl. \u201cCongress appropriates money. The executive branch does not have a dime of money in its own level. Every dollar that goes to the executive branch emanates from Article I, emanates from Congress through the appropriations process we are in now.\u201d<\/p>\n Fitzpatrick, a Republican, and Democrat Suozzi introduced a bill that would prevent the fund from disbursing any payments.<\/p>\n Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., appears on ABC News’ “This Week” on May 24, 2026.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n ABC News<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The Justice Department announced the creation of the $1.8 billion fund that could pay settlements to those claiming \u201cvictimization\u201d by the government, a group that could include rioters from the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.<\/p>\n Bipartisan backlash to the fund\u2019s announcement\u00a0has grown since its announcement.<\/p>\n Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Republican senators at the Capitol on Thursday to try to quell the backlash over the “anti-weaponization fund,” but sources told ABC News that the meeting was tense, with some allies to President Donald Trump speaking out against it and one telling Blanche, \u201cYou created this s— sandwich, you got to figure it out.\u201d<\/p>\n Suozzi said Sunday that Republicans should join Democrats in exercising the power of Congress to block taxpayer money from being paid out by the fund.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really up to the Republicans to join with the Democrats. Everybody knows this is wrong,\u201d Suozzi said. \u201cThat’s the purpose of the checks and balances in government, so that one branch of government does something stupid or wrong, the other branch holds them accountable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Suozzi had harsh words for the idea that payments could go to Jan. 6 rioters who were convicted for assaulting police officers.<\/p>\n Asked by CNN about the possibility of those people receiving payments from the fund on Wednesday, Blance replied, \u201cPeople that hurt police get money all the time.\u201d But\u00a0Blanche\u00a0then added it would be “abhorrent to ever, ever touch a law enforcement officer” and said it as “a completely different question with whether an individual is allowed to apply for a claim” and “whether they’ll get a claim.”<\/p>\n He said the day before in a Senate committee hearing that while Jan. 6 rioters could apply for money, there was no guarantee they would receive a payment.<\/p>\n Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., appears on ABC News’ “This Week” on May 24, 2026.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n ABC News<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThere’s one story that I like to tell over and over again, the cop being beat up on January 6, people saying, “Kill him, kill him, and this guy comes up, Daniel Rodriguez, he sticks a taser in his neck and tases the police officer. The police officer has a heart attack and now has brain damage from that,\u201d Suozzi said. \u201cHe ended up getting a 12-year sentence<\/u><\/a>. The president pardoned him. Now they want to give him money. It’s crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Blance\"](\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/91e39c4b-c756-4449-a995-7ef3827fc876\/TW-TOM-SUOZZI-20260524-ABC-JH_1779629563113_hpEmbed_16x9.jpeg?w=375 "\\"Blance\\"")
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