Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Anti-Weaponization Fund

A federal judge has halted the Trump administration’s $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund indefinitely. This decision follows a week where another federal judge refused to intervene after the Justice Department stated that the fund could not proceed.

The ongoing legal battle has intensified pressure on the government to officially dismantle the fund. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche informed Congress that the fund’s creation can’t go ahead, although the settlement that established the fund hasn’t been officially revoked. Critics argue this situation leaves the door open for the fund’s potential future implementation.

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, appointed by Clinton, extended the court order against the fund’s launch. She expressed that assurances from government officials weren’t sufficient to ease concerns about its possible revival later on.

Brinkema mentioned that Trump was “disappointed that things aren’t moving forward” and hinted that this may indicate the fund could re-emerge at some point.

During a recent episode of “Meet the Press,” Trump revealed he hopes the fund can continue. “If it were up to me, I would pay them what they deserve. People were destroyed, lives were destroyed,” he stated.

Judge Brinkema has given the Justice Department one week to confirm in writing that the fund will be terminated and not reinstated. This ruling occurred shortly after U.S. District Judge Richard Leon dismissed a separate request for emergency intervention by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), relying on the Justice Department’s claim that the fund had effectively been abandoned.

Leon, who was appointed by George W. Bush, cautioned government officials not to interpret his ruling as permission to revive the program. “I warn the Department of Justice: Don’t play possum with me,” he remarked from the bench.

Earlier this month, Blanche had announced that the Anti-Weaponization Fund, arising from a lawsuit settlement between Trump and the IRS, would not proceed. The fund aimed to compensate those claiming harm from government actions, but faced immediate backlash from Democrats, who labeled it a “slush fund” that could end up benefiting Trump’s allies and individuals connected to the January 6 Capitol riot.

Justice Department attorney Andrew Block argued to Judge Leon that Blanche’s Congressional testimony was essentially the basis for CREW’s challenge since the government had publicly promised not to move forward with the fund. Leon pressed Block on why there hadn’t been a formal revocation of the May 18 order establishing the fund’s procedures, a question Block struggled to answer.

CREW’s attorney, Nickel Sass, contended that the settlement agreement establishing the fund remains valid and that there is a timeline for action.

According to Sass, the formation of a five-member board to oversee the fund is due by June 17, with funds expected to transfer by July 17. “On paper, this fund is still operating legally,” she claimed.

However, Judge Leon ultimately accepted the government’s assurances that the fund is not currently moot, while indicating that he could impose sanctions on attorneys who submit false statements in court. He also expressed that he would continue to review CREW’s request for a preliminary injunction and might step in if evidence surfaces that the administration is trying to reinstate the fund.