Jan. 6 Officers Sue to Block Trump’s $1.8B ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Two officers who defended the US Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot sued to stop payouts from the Trump administration’s new $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” The lawsuit argues the fund could improperly compensate Capitol rioters and political extremists pardoned by Trump. The case escalates legal and political battles surrounding Trump’s controversial IRS settlement agreement.
Capitol Riot Fund Lawsuit Quick Looks
- Two Jan. 6 police officers filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday.
- The suit seeks to block payouts from the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund.”
- Officers fear Jan. 6 rioters could receive compensation from the fund.
- The fund was created through Trump’s IRS settlement agreement.
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the fund before Congress.
- More than 1,600 people were charged in Jan. 6-related cases.
- Trump previously pardoned all Jan. 6 defendants.
- Plaintiffs include former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn and officer Daniel Hodges.
- The lawsuit calls the fund “the most brazen act of presidential corruption this century.”
- Officers argue the program encourages future political violence.
Deep Look
Capitol Police Officers Sue Over Trump Compensation Fund
Two police officers who defended the US Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday seeking to block payouts from the Trump administration’s controversial $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund.”
The officers argue the program could allow Capitol rioters and extremist groups to receive government compensation after President Donald Trump pardoned individuals charged in connection with the attack.
The lawsuit represents the latest legal challenge tied to the administration’s massive IRS settlement agreement and intensifies political controversy surrounding Trump’s efforts to compensate individuals claiming political persecution.
Officers Fear Jan. 6 Rioters Could Receive Payouts
The lawsuit was filed shortly after Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appeared before Congress and declined to rule out whether Jan. 6 defendants could qualify for payments from the new fund.
Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s personal attorney before joining the Justice Department, described the compensation program as “unusual” but defended its legality during congressional testimony.
The officers’ lawsuit strongly challenged that position.
“The fund is an illegal slush fund,” the lawsuit claims, accusing Trump of attempting to “finance the insurrectionists and paramilitary groups that commit violence in his name.”
The suit further described the fund’s creation as “the most brazen act of presidential corruption this century.”
According to the complaint, “No statute authorizes its creation, the settlement on which it is premised is a corrupt sham, and its design violates the Constitution and federal law.”
Fund Created Through Trump IRS Settlement
The “Anti-Weaponization Fund” emerged from Trump’s settlement agreement involving his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over leaked tax return information.
Under the settlement, the fund was established to compensate people who claim they were politically targeted or unfairly prosecuted by prior presidential administrations.
A five-member commission appointed by the attorney general will oversee decisions involving payouts from the fund.
Critics argue the arrangement creates a politically controlled compensation system vulnerable to abuse and favoritism.
The controversy intensified after administration officials refused to explicitly exclude Jan. 6 defendants from eligibility.
Jan. 6 Officers Lead Legal Challenge
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Metropolitan Police Department officer Daniel Hodges and former US Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn.
Both officers became nationally recognized following their testimony before Congress regarding their experiences during the Capitol riot.
Hodges appeared in widely circulated footage showing rioters crushing him against a doorway while attempting to breach a Capitol tunnel entrance. Another rioter ripped away his gas mask during the confrontation.
Dunn later became a prominent public figure and is currently running for Congress in Maryland.
The officers argue the compensation program increases ongoing threats against law enforcement personnel connected to Jan. 6 investigations.
“Dunn and Hodges already face credible threats of death and violence on regular basis; the Fund substantially increases the danger,” the lawsuit alleges.
The officers also claim the fund “encourages those who enacted violence in the President’s name to continue to do so.”
More Than 1,600 Jan. 6 Cases Previously Filed
Federal prosecutors charged more than 1,600 individuals in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, during which rioters assaulted police officers and temporarily disrupted certification of the 2020 presidential election.
More than 100 police officers suffered injuries during the violence.
Trump later used his presidential pardon powers to wipe out all Jan. 6 criminal cases in one of the broadest clemency actions in modern presidential history.
The administration has since argued many prosecutions represented politically motivated overreach by prior Justice Department leadership.
Critics, however, contend the administration is now attempting to rewrite the historical narrative surrounding the attack.
Lawsuit Targets Top Trump Officials
In addition to Trump’s Justice Department, the lawsuit names Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as defendants.
Neither the Justice Department nor the Treasury Department immediately commented publicly on the lawsuit.
One of the attorneys representing the officers is Brendan Ballou, a former Justice Department prosecutor who previously handled Jan. 6 criminal cases.
The legal challenge could become a major constitutional fight over presidential authority, federal spending powers, and the limits of executive branch settlement agreements.
Political and Legal Fallout Continues Growing
The lawsuit arrives as debate intensifies over the broader implications of Trump’s IRS settlement agreement and related compensation fund.
Democrats and ethics watchdog groups have accused the administration of creating a taxpayer-funded political rewards system benefiting Trump allies.
Republican leaders have also expressed concerns about the fund’s structure and oversight.
At the same time, Trump supporters argue the program is necessary to compensate individuals they believe faced politically biased investigations and prosecutions during previous administrations.
The court battle is expected to become another major flashpoint in the continuing national divisions surrounding Jan. 6, presidential power, and Trump’s second term agenda.
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