A federal judge on Wednesday rejected a government watchdog’s request for a court order temporarily blocking the Trump administration from forging ahead with a new $1.776 billion settlement fund for compensating people who claim to be victims of a weaponized government.

Background

The Trump administration created the fund last month to resolve Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns. The Justice Department hasn’t formed the five-member commission that will decide on payout criteria, so there has been no money paid out nor claims accepted.

The administration argued that the watchdog’s lawsuit is moot because acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress last month that the government is scrapping its plans for the fund. However, the judge will consider a separate request by the plaintiffs for a preliminary injunction that would block payouts from the fund on a more permanent basis.

Reaction

The fund has generated a fierce bipartisan backlash. Even many of the Republican president’s allies are opposed to compensating rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. During his congressional testimony, Blanche wouldn’t rule out the possibility that rioters who assaulted police at the Capitol could be eligible for fund payouts.

U.S. District Judge Richard Leon asked Justice Department attorney Andrew Block why Blanche doesn’t formally rescind his May 18 order establishing the fund. Block said Blanche’s statements to Congress are sufficient to moot the watchdog’s claims.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.