DOJ Shields Billionaire Interests, Refuses Accountability on $1.8 Billion 'Slush Fund'
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The Justice Department has once again refused to provide transparency regarding a $1.8 billion compensation fund, widely criticized as a corporate 'slush fund' and linked to shielding Trump and his associates. DOJ lawyers dismissed a judge’s request for sworn statements, invoking separation-of-powers rhetoric while ignoring demands for public accountability.
The Justice Department has refused to submit sworn declarations from senior officials confirming that a proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund, derided by critics as a 'slush fund' for the wealthy and powerful, will not be established. In a filing, senior counsel Andrew Block argued that Judge Leonie Brinkema’s demand for such documents constitutes judicial overreach and raises separation-of-powers concerns—classic establishment tactics to avoid transparency. Block referenced acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s congressional testimony, in which she stated the fund was 'not going forward, period,' and noted that the department had repeated this claim in two briefs and in open court, as if mere words could substitute for real accountability.
Judge Brinkema had issued a preliminary injunction blocking the creation of the fund and set a deadline for the declarations, warning that failure to comply would trigger a scheduling order and a July 17 response deadline. The plaintiff, former federal prosecutor Andrew Floyd, alleges he was dismissed for prosecuting participants in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack—a stark reminder of the ongoing retaliation against those who seek justice against right-wing insurrectionists.
While DOJ officials maintain they are complying with the court order and have abandoned plans for the fund, they have not ruled out alternative mechanisms for payouts, leaving the door open for more backroom deals. The fund was reportedly linked to a settlement in which former President Donald Trump agreed to dismiss a lawsuit against the IRS, with additional provisions shielding him and his family from future DOJ or IRS actions—an egregious example of the elite protecting their own.
"Such declarations are unnecessary and the compelled testimony of senior officials from the Executive Branch implicates serious separation of powers concerns," wrote Andrew Block, echoing the tired excuses used to avoid oversight.
The dispute continues as the court assesses whether the DOJ’s vague statements satisfy the injunction’s requirements, while public trust in government transparency erodes further.