(The Epoch Times)—A federal judge in Virginia on Friday temporarily blocked the Department of Justice (DOJ) from initiating plans to create a $1.776 “anti-weaponization” fund that would compensate what the Trump administration says are people who were unfairly targeted by the government in investigations.
In a two-page order, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema wrote that the DOJ is precluded from taking action on the “creation or operation of the Anti-Weaponization Fund, which includes the transferring of money to the Fund; the consideration of any claims submitted to the Fund; and the disbursing of any funds from the Fund.”
The judge also said that the order is designed to “ensure that no funds are irreversibly disbursed from the Anti-Weaponization Fund.”
The fund was announced on May 18 by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, in response to a decision made by President Donald Trump to agree to drop a lawsuit against the IRS related to the release of Trump’s tax documents.
Days after the fund was created, a former Trump administration official, Michael Caputo, sent a letter to Blanche requesting compensation under the fund over what he said were unfair prosecutions against him and his family that resulted in personal and financial losses.
In Friday’s order, Brinkema scheduled a hearing on June 12 for arguments over whether the court should further extend the pause on the creation of the fund.
Her order was in response to a lawsuit filed by former federal prosecutor Andrew Floyd, who had prosecuted people who were allegedly involved in the breach at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as well as a California professor, Johnathan Caravello, who was arrested while he demonstrated against a federal immigration raid. A nonprofit organization also joined the challenge against creation of the fund.
In their lawsuit, filed on May 22, the plaintiffs alleged that the creation of the fund would be the result of “a collusive agreement between the President and his own administration” and “has no congressional authorization, no basis in law, and no accountability.”
“Plaintiffs include individuals and entities that were targeted by the Trump-Vance administration as ideological or political opponents. One was arrested for exercising his First Amendment right to protest, while another, a career prosecutor with over a decade of experience, was fired for no discernible reason other than he prosecuted January 6 rioters.”
The White House did not immediately respond to an Epoch Times request for comment on Friday.
This is a breaking news update. More details will follow.
