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Wyoming delegation stands with Trump on $1.8 billion ‘anti-weaponization’ fund.CHEYENNE — The Trump administration’s recent announcement of a $1.776 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund" has ignited a controversy that has rippled across the country from Washington, D.C.to Wyoming.While some Republican lawmakers have separated themselves from Trump’s move, Wyoming’s federal delegation continues to support the president.Established as part of a settlement agreement in the case of President Donald J.Internal Revenue Service, the fund is intended to provide monetary relief to individuals who claim they were victims of government "weaponization" and "lawfare." The move also provides several exemptions and protections for Trump, including the permanent termination of IRS audits for Trump, his family members and their businesses, and wipes away any back taxes owed and cancels any unpaid taxes or fines for the President.While the administration frames it as a necessary redress for political targeting, critics have labeled it a "slush fund" that could potentially funnel taxpayer dollars to those involved in the Jan.6, 2021 Capitol riot, a group that includes several Wyomingites.Wyoming reaction Wyoming’s congressional delegation has largely aligned with the president’s narrative regarding the misuse of federal power.John Barrasso expressed support for the fund’s stated mission.In a statement provided to the WTE, he said, "President Trump is right to stand up for Americans who were unfairly and wrongly targeted for their political beliefs." Barrasso specifically pointed to what he described as a "well-documented history" of the IRS and Department of Justice being weaponized against conservative and Christian groups under previous administrations.However, he also noted that "a lot of questions" remain regarding eligibility and how funds will be distributed.A spokesperson for U.S.Cynthia Lummis echoed this sentiment, stating that while Lummis is still reviewing the details, she believes the "Biden administration routinely used the government against the citizens they were sworn to protect." U.S.Harriet Hageman, who is also a candidate for U.S.Senate this year as Lummis prepares to retire in 2027, told the WTE that during her work in Congress, she has discovered "egregious abuses from the Biden Administration and federal agents violating citizens' constitutional rights to very real damages." "Americans suffered the covert suppression of speech, targeting of parents, religion, and pro-life values, illegal financial surveillance and debanking, and early morning raids that ultimately led to the loss of life.It is the responsibility of every American to ensure these abuses never happen again," she wrote in a statement to the WTE.January 6 and Wyoming Prominent Wyomingites who were at or near the Capitol grounds on Jan.6, 2021, include United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming Darin Smith and former Wyoming GOP Chairman Frank Eathorne.While neither Eathorne nor Smith have faced criminal charges related to the event, other Wyoming residents have.Douglas Harrington, a resident of Bedford, was sentenced in 2024 to 40 months in federal prison for his "violent conduct" at the Capitol.Evidence showed Harrington striking police officers with a flagpole and resisting efforts to clear the grounds.Under the broad and currently unclear eligibility rules of the new fund, individuals like Harrington, or those who claim they were unfairly targeted for their presence at the Capitol, could potentially seek compensation.Acting U.S.Attorney General Todd Blanche has refused to rule out payouts for those convicted of violent crimes.He spoke on the issue before a U.S.Senate Appropriations subcommittee last week, stating only that there is "no limitation on the claims" and that the five-member commission overseeing the fund will assess each case for "weaponization." The members of the board have yet to be finalized.National reaction Outside of Wyoming, the fund has been met with legal and political resistance.Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, called the arrangement a "racket" designed to pay a "private militia or insurrectionists," according to a statement provided to the Associated Press.On Wednesday, House Democrats outlined 10 primary reasons why the fund is unconstitutional, arguing it usurps Congress’ power to appropriate money and violates the 14th Amendment’s prohibition on paying debts incurred in aid of insurrection.Adam Zimmerman, a professor at the University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law, told PBS, "I don’t even think we have a word for how unprecedented this is," noting that it exists in a "totally different solar system" than any past government settlement.Even some Republicans are breaking ranks with Trump.Bill Cassidy, R-La., argued that taxpayers care more about "paying their mortgage or rent, affording groceries and paying for gas" than funding a $1.8 billion pot for the president’s allies "with no legal precedent or accountability," he wrote in a post on X.Senate Majority Leader U.S.John Thune, R-S.D., has also expressed concern, telling reporters he is "not a big fan" and did not see "a purpose" for the fund, according to a report from BBC.It is currently unclear when, or if, the fund will become active and who will be appointed to the committee that determines who will receive funds.