A federal court ordered the Trump administration to immediately pause all activity related to its $1.776 billion so-called “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” barring the administration from transferring money, processing claims, or distributing payments while the court considers plaintiffs’ challenge to the program.
The order comes just one week after a coalition of individuals, organizations, and government accountability advocates, represented by Democracy Forward, sued to block the fund, arguing that it is an unconstitutional and unlawful political compensation scheme that benefits only those individuals aligned with the Trump-Vance administration.
The plaintiffs include former federal prosecutor Andrew Floyd, Professor Jonathan Caravello, the City of New Haven, the National Abortion Federation, and Common Cause.
A broad coalition of organizations and individuals harmed by the Trump-Vance administration is challenging the $1.776 billion so-called “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” which the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) created through a private agreement with President Trump and his family following the president’s own lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
In granting relief, which came less than 24 hours after the plaintiffs filed a motion for emergency relief, the federal court specifically recognized the need to preserve the status quo while the court considers the legal arguments raised by the plaintiffs, as well as their concerns that the government had declined to provide assurances regarding how long the fund would remain inactive.
The court ordered the administration to cease any further action related to the fund, including transferring money to it, considering submitted claims, or disbursing taxpayer dollars.
In the plaintiffs’ filing yesterday, they warned that at least one claimant had already publicly announced a request for $2.7 million from the fund and that other allies of the administration had signaled plans to seek compensation as well.
Plaintiffs argued that once taxpayer funds were distributed, the constitutional harms could not be undone. Plaintiffs’ motion noted that they had requested that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) make assurances that money would not be distributed from the fund while the court was reviewing the matter, and the DOJ refused to provide such assurances.
This fund was designed to operate with extraordinary secrecy, minimal oversight, and political favoritism built into its very structure. At a time when claims were already reportedly being submitted, and payouts could have begun at any moment, the court acted to stop public money from being disbursed through a program that raises profound constitutional concerns.
While the litigants say they are grateful for the court’s swift action and remain committed to ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent lawfully, transparently, not used to reward political allies or advance a partisan agenda.
The plaintiffs in the case issued this statement: “We are pleased that the court granted our request to ensure the administration does not distribute taxpayer funds until our motion has been considered. The court acted quickly to stop this unlawful scheme before money could start flowing out the door. The Trump-Vance administration attempted to create a secretive, taxpayer-funded program that rewards political allies, operates without oversight, and evades the constitutional safeguards that protect our democracy. We are grateful that the court recognized the urgency of the situation and acted to preserve the status quo before further irreparable harm occurred. ”
“We won our first major victory today, but our fight continues,” Omar H. Noureldin, senior vice president of policy and litigation at Common Cause. “Congress must act now to permanently dismantle this illegal slush fund. We will not stop organizing until American tax dollars are safe from funding a president’s corrupt, personal vendetta.”
“The court’s temporary injunction is a victory for taxpayers in New Haven and nationwide — and it is also a victory for the rule of law. President Trump’s so-called ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ is a transparent attempt to use hard-earned taxpayer dollars as a slush fund to support and reward his political allies, supporters and, unconscionably, January 6th insurrectionists. New Haveners want their federal taxpayer dollars to be used for critical government functions and services like public safety, infrastructure, Medicare and Social Security – not to advance President Trump’s personal political interests,” said New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker. “New Haven is proud to be a plaintiff in this lawsuit and to, once again, be a city that is leading the charge in standing up to the Trump administration when its actions cross the line and negatively impact our residents, city and democratic values.”
“Taxpayer dollars should never be used to bankroll a political rewards scheme that would further embolden extremists actively targeting abortion clinics, threatening providers, and interfering with essential health care,” said Brittany Fonteno, President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation. “Today’s order is a critical step toward preventing those extremists from being paid for their unlawful actions. Still, this fight is not over, and NAF will continue to see this lawsuit through and fight for justice for abortion providers and patients so they can seek and provide care safely, without intimidation or fear.”
“Today, a federal court recognized the urgent need to prevent taxpayer dollars from being distributed through a secretive and unprecedented political compensation scheme before the legality of that program can be fully reviewed by the court,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “This is a victory for transparency, the rule of law, and the American people. No administration has the authority to spend public money through a political rewards program that Congress never authorized. We look forward to the next stages in this case.”
The lawsuit argues that the creation of the fund violates the U.S. Constitution, exceeds executive authority, unlawfully bypasses Congress’s exclusive authority over federal spending and appropriations, and violates the Administrative Procedure Act. The complaint also challenges the administration’s use of the federal Judgment Fund to finance the program. The lawsuit raises concerns about the secrecy surrounding the fund’s operations, including provisions that allow claims and payments to remain confidential and limit public accountability for how nearly $2 billion in taxpayer money is distributed.
“First, hundreds of people attacked the foundation of an ordered society by trying to stop the results of a free and fair election—committing serious assaults on law enforcement and other crimes as they did so. Then, this administration pardoned them—removing the accountability that had been hard earned by victims, witnesses, law enforcement, and prosecutors and imposed by impartial jurors and judges. Now they are asking taxpayers to illegally reward them for their crimes,” said former career Assistant U.S. Attorney and January 6th prosecutor Andrew Floyd.
“President Trump wants to take your hard-earned tax dollars and hand it over to criminals, cronies, and insurrectionists who assaulted police officers in his name,” said Virginia Kase Solomón, Common Cause President and CEO. “It’s unconscionable, and more importantly, it’s illegal. We’re suing to protect hardworking Americans and ensure public money goes towards making our lives more affordable, not paying out the president’s political allies.”
“In yet another attempt to test the limits of our fragile political ecosystem, the Trump administration has facilitated the creation of a fund made from the people’s money in a discriminatory manner where only their political allies are compensated. Unconstitutional on its face, it serves a nefarious purpose: namely, to further divide a working class who, regardless of political affiliation, have legitimate grievances against a government that has failed to provide its people with what is necessary to survive and flourish,” said Professor John Caravello.
“The residents of New Haven work too hard to see their federal tax dollars go into some unregulated $1.7 billion political slush fund that President Trump and his administration can use to pay off his political cronies and criminals,” said New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker. “This so-called ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ is just the opposite: it’s the latest example of how President Trump is weaponizing every part of our federal government to advance his own personal interests and the personal interests of those who politically support him. The residents of New Haven want their hard-earned tax dollars to be used to fund critical public safety initiatives and infrastructure projects – like the ones the Trump administration is attempting to illegally terminate. As we have in the past, New Haven will continue to fight for our residents and stand up for the rule of law.”
“Abortion providers and clinic staff already face escalating threats, harassment, stalking, and violence simply for providing essential healthcare. The Trump-Vance administration has made that danger worse by pardoning anti-abortion extremists, walking away from meaningful FACE Act enforcement, and now attempting to create a taxpayer-funded slush fund that could reward the very people who target abortion providers and patients, including NAF members. This isn’t just an abuse of government power. It’s a direct threat to abortion providers, patients, and communities across the country. NAF is joining this lawsuit because abortion providers and their patients deserve protection, not a federal scheme that emboldens extremists and shields them from accountability,” said Brittany Fonteno, President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation.
“This latest attempt by the Trump-Vance administration to make grift great again is profoundly unlawful and will not withstand judicial scrutiny,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “The administration cannot use taxpayer dollars to create a secretive, politically driven compensation scheme that rewards allies and punishes perceived opponents. The Constitution does not allow the executive branch to build its own corrupt billion-dollar slush fund, shield it from accountability, and distribute public money based on politics and ideology. This lawsuit is about protecting the rule of law and preventing a dangerous abuse of government power, and we will keep showing up in court to hold this administration accountable.”
The case is Andrew Floyd et al. v. U.S. Department of Justice et al. The legal team at Democracy Forward includes Pooja Boisture, Jyoti Jasrasaria, Aman George, Kevin Friedl, Jessica Morton, Ayesha Khan, Robin Thurston, and Skye Perryman.
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