A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from taking further action to set up or operate a nearly $1.8bn anti-weaponisation fund. The judge scheduled a June 12 hearing to consider whether the blocking order should be extended. The fund was announced by the Department of Justice as part of a settlement of a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump in his personal capacity against the IRS over allegations that a former contractor leaked his tax records to journalists. The fund would be overseen by a five-member commission that would release money to people who show they were victims of lawfare and weaponisation. No payouts have occurred because the commission has not been formed. A lawsuit led by Andrew Floyd claimed the fund would be partisan and favor Trump supporters. The fund drew backlash, including from some Republican lawmakers concerned about taxpayer-funded payouts for January 6 Capitol attackers.
"A United States federal judge temporarily blocked the administration of President Donald Trump's nearly $1.8bn anti-weaponisation fund to compensate victims of what Trump has called government weaponisation. On Friday, US District Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia blocked the Trump administration from taking any further action to set up or operate the fund while the judge hears additional legal arguments. The judge, who was nominated to the bench by President Bill Clinton, scheduled a June 12 hearing for arguments about whether to extend the order blocking payouts."
"The Department of Justice announced the fund last week as part of an agreement to settle a lawsuit brought on behalf of Donald Trump, in his personal capacity, against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) stemming from allegations that Charles Edward Littlejohn, a former contractor, leaked Trump's tax records to journalists. The fund was set up to be overseen by a five-member commission which would release money for those who can show that they were victims of lawfare and weaponisation, terms Trump and his allies have used to describe investigations and criminal cases against them."
"Friday's ruling came in a lawsuit filed by a group led by a prosecutor of the January 6 riots, Andrew Floyd. The suit claimed that the fund would be partisan to fund Trump supporters and not those who are the president's political opponents. The Justice Department has yet to form the commission that will decide on payout criteria, so there has been no money paid out yet or claims accepted."
"The fund spurred a backlash, even from some lawmakers in Trump's Republican Party, who expressed anger that some people who attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, would receive taxpayer-funded payouts. During a congressional hearing earlier this month, acting Attorney General Todd Bla"
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