Trump's $1.77B "anti-weaponization" fund temporarily blocked by federal judge
· Axios
A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from moving forward with its $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization" fund in a Friday order.
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The big picture: The controversial plan aims to create an unprecedented mechanism to compensate people who claim they were wrongfully targeted by the government.
Driving the news: U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, who was nominated by former President Clinton, ordered the Department of Justice to hold off on taking further action on the fund, including transferring money to it.
- Brinkema's order also blocks the DOJ from considering any claims submitted to the fund or disbursing any money from the pot "to ensure that no funds are irreversibly disbursed from the Anti-Weaponization Fund" while the case proceeds.
- Former Assistant U.S. Attorney and Jan. 6 prosecutor Andrew Floyd and his fellow plaintiffs sued the administration to block what they called a "slush fund" that's "on a collision course with the United States Constitution."
- The DOJ did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
Catch up quick: The DOJ announced the formation of the fund as part of a settlement agreement from Trump's suit against the IRS and Treasury over the leak of his tax returns.
- The attorney general will handpick the five-member commission that decides who will collect money from the fund.
- Those decisions can't be appealed or challenged in court, and public disclosure of who got a payout and how much money they received is not required, Axios' Andrew Pantazi writes.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information throughout.