Hickenlooper proposed an amendment that would prevent Tina Peters, January 6th Rioters from taxpayer handouts
Hickenlooper: “There’s no way we’ll let them get away with this.”
COLORADO – In case you missed it last week, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper disrupted Republicans’ plan to give $72 billion to ICE with his amendment to block taxpayer handouts for Tina Peters and convicted election criminals from Trump’s proposed $1.8 billion slush fund. Republicans fled town rather than facing Hickenlooper’s amendment.
“Republicans fled Washington instead of voting on my amendment to stop Tina Peters from getting a payout from Trump’s corrupt taxpayer slush fund,” said Hickenlooper posted on X/Twitter when Republicans gave up their plans last Thursday. “There’s no way we’ll let them get away with this. Every day that Congress doesn’t send another penny to Trump’s secret police is a win.”
Hickenlooper has refused to accept ICE’s lawlessness. He has voted against funding for ICE, shown up at ICE facilities for oversight visits, and helped Coloradans who are detained. Hickenlooper has helped introduce legislation to force their agents to take off their masks and protect schools, hospitals, and places of worship from raids.
Republicans will now have to return to Washington after Memorial Day recess to face Hickenlooper’s amendment.
Check out what they’re saying:
WATCH: Fox 21: Hickenlooper Amendment to Block Handouts for Peters
The Senate is delaying a $72 billion ICE and immigration bill until next month over a new $1.8 billion fund for people claiming political prosecution. The justice department just launched the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” but some Democrats and a few Republicans worry it could go to people convicted in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Senators were expected to push amendments this week, including Colorado’s John Hickenlooper who wants to block payments to people convicted of election-related crimes, including Tina Peters. This comes after Vice President J.D. Vance said Peters could qualify for the money, calling her a grandmother treated unfairly. But, Hickenlooper disagrees.
“He’s going to include Tina Peters in that,” said Hickenlooper. “Right, so she’s going to be a part of the slush fund. I mean, we will fight that tooth and nail. We will do everything we can in the Senate… in the House.”
Colorado Sun: Senator Hickenlooper’s Amendment will Block Payouts to Criminals
U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper plans to force Republicans to vote on an amendment aimed at prohibiting the Trump administration from sending money to former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters and others convicted of crimes that affected elections or election equipment from a $1.8 billion fund created to compensate allies of the GOP president who believe they have been unjustly investigated and prosecuted.
The “Anti-Weaponization Fund” of $1.776 billion is part of a settlement that resolves President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns. It will allow people who believe they were targeted for prosecution for political purposes, including by the Biden administration Justice Department, to apply for payouts, creating what acting Attorney General Todd Blanche called “a lawful process for victims of lawfare and weaponization to be heard and seek redress.”
The Colorado Democrat’s amendment was to be voted on late Thursday or early Friday as the U.S. Senate was set to debate a roughly $70 billion bill brought by Republicans to restore funding to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol. But that vote appears to have been postponed until June after a two-hour meeting on Thursday between Senate Republicans and Blanche, according to the New York Times.
Instead of trying to pass a filibuster-proof bill before a weeklong recess, Republicans appear set on tabling the matter over some members’ hesitation in backing the compensation fund.
Hickenlooper plans to introduce his amendment whenever the bill to fund immigration enforcement is taken up. The amendment targets anyone convicted of crimes related to state or federal election interference, impersonation, identity theft, official misconduct, violation of duty in elections and failure to comply with the requirements of the secretary of state, according to his office.
It’s possible, if not likely, Hickenlooper’s amendment fails, but it will force Republican senators to go on the record about the payments.
“Election deniers who break the law are not victims. They are criminals. The last thing we should do is reward these people with your taxpayer dollars,” Hickenlooper said in a written statement. “Instead of lowering costs, President Trump is creating a $1.8 billion slush fund for people like Tina Peters who tried to undermine our free and fair election system. Our amendment stops it.”
Semafor: Republicans Delay Immigration Vote Over Trump’s $1.8 Billion Fund
Colorado Pols: Thursday (Might) Have Been the Day Everything Changed in Congress
Slush Fund:
Monday also brought a rash of headlines about a $1.8 billion “slush fund” that the Department of Justice was creating to hand over taxpayer money to Trump’s right-wing allies — including Jan. 6 insurrectionists. Senate Republicans were incensed about the proposal and grilled Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for two hours on Thursday. … By the end, Republicans were so livid that party leaders scrapped planned votes on the party’s top priority — a $72 billion immigration crackdown measure it had planned to muscle through before Memorial Day — punting action for fear of having to cast votes on the fund…
….Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper added to Republican concerns with a smart amendment to prohibit any money from the Trump slush fund from going to former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters. As The Colorado Sun reports:
Hickenlooper plans to introduce his amendment whenever the bill to fund immigration enforcement is taken up. The amendment targets anyone convicted of crimes related to state or federal election interference, impersonation, identity theft, official misconduct, violation of duty in elections and failure to comply with the requirements of the secretary of state, according to his office.
It’s possible, if not likely, Hickenlooper’s amendment fails, but it will force Republican senators to go on the record about the payments. [Pols emphasis]
Fox 21 News has more on Hickenlooper’s amendment.
Senate Republicans absolutely did not want to vote on anything related to the Trump slush fund, so they closed up shop and went home for the rest of the month instead. Trump responded on Friday by doing what he does best: doubling-down on a terrible idea.
WATCH: Denver 7: Hickenlooper to Block Slush Fund for Tina Peters
Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper says he plans to introduce an amendment to block former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters from receiving money from a taxpayer-funded settlement. The so-called “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is nearly $2 billion. It’s aimed at compensating people for, what President Trump says, were mistreated by the Justice Department during President Biden’s time in office.
Early this week, Vice President J.D. Vance said Peters would qualify. A jury found Peters guilty for an election security breach. She was sentenced to nine years in prison on state charges. Governor Polis commuted her sentence last week. In a statement, Senator Hickenlooper says “Election deniers who break the law are not victims. They are criminals. The last thing we should do is reward these people with your taxpayer dollars…”
KOA: Hickenlooper Introduces Amendment to Block Peters from Receiving Taxpayer Handouts
Senate Republicans adjourning without passing the President’s plan to fund immigration enforcement: They’re at an impasse about whether to block the $1.8 billion taxpayer funds to compensate allies of President Trump, who claim they were targeted by the Biden Administration.
… Senator John Hickenlooper says he’ll introduce an amendment to the reconciliation bill that would prohibit the funds from being disbursed.
On Thursday, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper announced he plans to introduce an amendment to the Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill. The amendment would prohibit disbursement of funds from President Trump’s recently-announced $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to individuals like Tina Peters who have been convicted of crimes related to state or federal election interference, impersonation, identity theft, official misconduct, violation of duty in elections, and failure to comply with the requirements of a Secretary of State.
“Election deniers who break the law are not victims. They are criminals. The last thing we should do is reward these people with your taxpayer dollars,” said Hickenlooper. “Instead of lowering costs, President Trump is creating a $1.8 billion slush fund for people like Tina Peters who tried to undermine our free and fair election system. Our amendment stops it.”
Earlier this week, the Department of Justice announced an unprecedented $1.8 billion fund to compensate election criminals like Tina Peters. The “Anti-Weaponization Fund” is part of a settlement that resolves President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns, and would be paid for by taxpayer money.
On Tuesday, Vice President JD Vance called Tina Peters “innocent” and pointed to her as someone who would be deserving of taxpayer funded compensation through the fund. January 6th insurrectionists who beat and killed police officers during the attack on the Capitol are also expecting compensation from the fund.
Earlier this week, Hickenlooper vowed to fight Trump’s DOJ slush fund with everything he has. Republicans called an end to voting action on Thursday and went home; after their majority appeared to evaporate in response to what dozens of Senators and Representatives have referenced as a “slush fund” for Trump’s allies and those who have broken the law in their support of Trump’s agenda.
Those include the January 6 attack on the capitol, members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, election deniers who committed voting fraud, and even former members of the United States Congress who committed campaign finance violations.
Hickenlooper’s amendment is expected to be voted on during the vote-a-rama process surrounding the Republican reconciliation package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which Republicans delayed until June. Hickenlooper will vote NO on the reconciliation bill and has consistently refused to fund ICE without an overhaul of the agency.
###