Donald Trump’s administration seems to have lost a major lawyer just hours after it sanctioned a $1.8 billion fund. Latest reports claim that Brian Morrissey of the Treasury Department put down his papers after Trump and his associates unveiled a multi-billion-dollar ‘anti-weaponization’ fund.
Top treasury lawyer Brian Morrissey resigns after fund announcement
On May 18, Brian Morrissey, who had been serving as the Treasury Department’s general counsel, announced his resignation from his federal post. Morrissey had only taken up the position seven months ago after the Senate approved of his candidacy.
The ex-Treasury lawyer’s decision to vacate his office comes after Donald Trump announced the creation of the anti-weaponization, as per The New York Times. Three people familiar with the situation have noted that the fund, worth close to $1.8 billion, would allow the president to make payments to his political allies.
The Justice Department originally came up with the idea of the fund to provide financial aid to people who had allegedly been targeted by the Joe Biden administration. The said group not only features supporters of the president as well as former members of his staff, but also people who mounted a charge on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Donald Trump had originally filed a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), prompting the Justice Department to create the anti-weaponization fund. The president claimed that the IRS hadn’t done enough to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of his tax information during his first term. However, he ultimately decided to let go of all charges on Monday after a judge asked him if he could legally drag a government agency he controls to court.
According to the official terms released regarding the fund, the Justice Department will provide the Treasury with $1.776 billion, with the aim of depositing the amount in an account. A panel, selected by the acting attorney general, Todd Blanche, will then assume control of the account.
Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on Mandatory
