Justice Department Establishes $1.7 Billion Fund to Compensate Alleged Victims of Political Targeting

The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Monday the creation of a $1.7 billion 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' aimed at compensating individuals who allege they were unjustly targeted by the Justice Department during the Biden administration. This initiative is part of a settlement resolving President Donald Trump's lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service concerning the unauthorized disclosure of his tax returns.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the fund provides 'a lawful process for victims of lawfare and weaponization to be heard and seek redress.' The fund will be managed by a five-member commission appointed by the Attorney General, with the authority to issue formal apologies and monetary compensation to claimants. The commission is expected to conclude its operations by December 15, 2028.

The establishment of this fund has elicited strong opposition from Democratic lawmakers and government watchdogs. Representative Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, criticized the initiative, describing it as 'a racket designed to take $1.7 billion of taxpayer dollars out of the Treasury and pour it into a huge slush fund.'

The settlement follows the sentencing of former IRS contractor Charles Edward Littlejohn, who was convicted in 2024 for leaking tax information about Trump and others to news outlets between 2018 and 2020. As part of the agreement, Trump and his co-plaintiffs will receive a formal apology but no monetary compensation. They have also agreed to withdraw additional claims, including those related to the search of Mar-a-Lago and the Russia-collusion investigation.