Former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn filed a federal lawsuit to block a Justice Department fund totaling $1.776 billion [1].
The legal challenge targets a fund created by the Trump administration to compensate people who say they were harmed by a "weaponized" Department of Justice. Critics argue the payouts could reach Jan. 6 rioters and paramilitary groups, effectively using taxpayer money to reward those who participated in the Capitol insurrection.
Dunn and one other former officer [3] filed the action in a Washington, D.C., federal court. The lawsuit argues the fund is illegal because it violates public policy and law by providing financial benefits to individuals involved in the events of Jan. 6.
"This is illegal… this is wrong," Dunn said.
Some reports describe the fund as an "anti-weaponization" initiative, while others characterize it as a "slush fund" for those who attacked the Capitol. The exact amount of the fund is cited as $1.776 billion [1] in some documents and rounded to $1.8 billion [2] in others.
Lisa Rubin, a senior legal reporter involved in the matter, said, "We are fighting to stop a slush fund that would reward insurrectionists."
The lawsuit was originally filed in early 2024 to prevent the administration from distributing the funds to those who Dunn argues should not benefit from the government's treasury.
“"This is illegal… this is wrong."”
This litigation represents a direct clash between the Trump administration's effort to provide restitution for perceived political targeting and the efforts of law enforcement officers to ensure that participants in the Jan. 6 insurrection do not receive government compensation. The outcome will likely depend on whether the court views the fund's criteria as broad enough to include individuals who committed illegal acts during the Capitol breach.
