The Justice Department is pushing back against a judge’s request for senior administration officials to declare in court that the so-called anti-weaponization fund is not moving forward. This fund, which arose out of a settlement of a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against the IRS, aimed to compensate individuals who claimed to be victims of government “weaponization” under prior administrations.
Background of the Fund
The anti-weaponization fund was met with significant political opposition and legal hurdles, prompting the administration to drop its plans for the fund. Judge Leonie M. Brinkema, presiding over the case in Alexandria, Virginia, had indicated she was inclined to rule the legal dispute as moot following the administration’s decision to abandon the fund.
However, Judge Brinkema requested declarations from acting Attorney General Todd Balance, Associate Attorney General Stan Woodward, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to confirm that they would not take any action to create or operate the Anti-Weaponization Fund. The Justice Department has argued that such declarations are unnecessary, citing concerns over separation of powers.
The Department pointed to previous statements by administration officials, including testimony to Congress, where it was stated that the fund was “not going forward, period.” The Justice Department believes these statements suffice and that compelling further testimony from high-ranking officials is unwarranted.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
