Former police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to block the Trump administration’s newly created $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund,” arguing it could compensate rioters who assaulted law enforcement during the riot.
The lawsuit contends the fund violates constitutional protections and federal law by potentially allowing taxpayer money to flow to individuals involved in the Capitol attack.
Former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn and Metropolitan Police Department officer Daniel Hodges, both of whom became nationally known for defending the Capitol during the riot, filed the lawsuit in federal court.
Dunn and Hodges argue the fund, announced this week by the Justice Department as part of a settlement resolving President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over leaked tax returns, unlawfully creates a compensation system for political allies and could benefit Jan. 6 defendants who were later pardoned by Trump.
According to court filings, the two former officers argue that the fund’s existence encourages violence, such as what they experienced during the Capitol attack.
“The Fund’s mere existence sends a clear and chilling message: those who enact violence in President Trump’s name will not just avoid punishment, they will be rewarded with riches,” the lawsuit argues. “That message, by itself, substantially increases the already sizeable risk of vigilante violence Dunn and Hodges face on a near-daily basis. And it encourages those who are harassing Dunn and Hodges, and sending them death threats, to up the ante.”
Dunn is running for Congress in Maryland, the second time he’s launched a campaign since Jan. 6, 2021. He is running to replace Rep. Steny Hoyer in Maryland’s 5th District.
The controversy centers on the $1.776 billion fund announced Monday by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. The Justice Department said the program is intended to provide a process for individuals who claim they were unfairly targeted by politically motivated prosecutions or investigations.
The fund was established through a settlement agreement after Trump dropped a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS and Treasury Department over the disclosure of his confidential tax information. Instead of Trump, two of his sons, and the Trump Organization receiving direct financial damages, they agreed to dismiss their lawsuit with prejudice in exchange for the claims process.
Blanche and Vice President JD Vance have defended the fund as open to anyone who can demonstrate government “weaponization,” but administration officials have declined to rule out whether Jan. 6 defendants, including those convicted of assaulting police, could qualify for payments.
DOJ ANNOUNCES $1.776 BILLION ‘ANTI-WEAPONIZATION’ FUND FOR BIDEN LAWFARE VICTIMS
During congressional testimony this week, Blanche said determining eligibility would be left to an independent five-person commission; Blanche will appoint the commission’s members.
The lawsuit lists Trump, Blanche, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as defendants.
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