‘Slush fund for crooks’: GOP lawmaker faces criticism over ‘anti-weaponization’ fund, Epstein files and Trump at town hall | CNN Politics

GOP Rep. Mike Flood said President Donald Trump’s “anti-weaponization” fund should not be used for rioters who were at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, during a town hall in his district Tuesday where he was repeatedly pressed on his support of the president’s agenda. The Nebraska congressman, who is no stranger to contentious town halls, faced a barrage of critical questions over the controversial $1.8 billion fund at the event, which comes as lawmakers are back in their home states after a revolt by Senate Republicans over the fund stalled Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda in Washington. Throughout the event, Flood attempted to tout his efforts to be bipartisan, defending Trump in certain areas while not being afraid to, at times, create distance from the leader of his party and his administration. Asked to respond to the “anti-weaponization” fund, which was announced as part of a settlement to resolve a $10 billion civil lawsuit Trump filed against the IRS, Flood was careful to say he has not signed off on the effort and said there needs to be restrictions on who can receive the funding. “I have never approved that. I do not think one penny of any fund sho