How To Bring The Bastards To Justice (Rep. Jamie Raskin)

A president creating a multi-billion-dollar slush fund to pay friends and a private army is presented as a fundamental threat to constitutional governance. The constitutional concern centers on unrestricted executive power: if a $1.776 billion fund can be created without limits, nothing prevents a vastly larger fund that could bankrupt the nation. The president’s authority is constrained by salary limits under the Domestic Emoluments Clause and by limits on funding insurrection under the 14th Amendment, while Congress controls appropriations and courts resolve cases and controversies. The settlement provides no clear payout limits and involves no actual cases, only desired payments. Oversight is reduced to confidential quarterly reporting to the attorney general through appointees fully subject to presidential will. A judgment fund mechanism created in 1957 is described as an ongoing appropriation that can be used to route settlement payouts without meaningful limits.

"Raskin responds that this is indeed happening and represents a fundamental threat to constitutional governance. Raskin explains the core constitutional violation: if Trump can create a $1.776 billion political slush fund without restriction, what prevents him from creating a $1.776 trillion slush fund and bankrupting the nation? The president is limited to his salary under the Domestic Emoluments Clause and cannot fund insurrection under Section 4 of the 14th Amendment. Congress, not the executive branch, establishes programs and appropriates money. The courts decide cases and controversies."

"Devin points out that Todd Blanch has publicly stated they will pull less than $1.8 billion, but the settlement agreement itself contains no statement of how much will be paid out. There are no actual casesjust people they want to pay. Raskin confirms there is no legality to it, no legal oversight, and no congressional oversight. The only mechanism is a quarterly confidential report made to the attorney general by the attorney general's designates, all of whom are subject completely to Trump's will."

"Raskin explains how the government exploited an existing legal mechanism. Congress passes appropriations to fund specific projects. Over time, the Department of Justice needed to pay out funds as part of legitimate settlements. In 1957, a judgment fund was created as an ongoing appropriation without limits on how many funds can be ap"

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