Former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn filed a lawsuit Wednesday to block federal payments to individuals who participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot [1].
The legal action challenges the distribution of a massive settlement fund, arguing that government resources should not be used to financially reward those who assaulted law enforcement officers during the attack.
Dunn filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on May 20, 2026 [2]. The litigation targets the "anti-weaponization" settlement fund, which is valued between $1.776 billion [3] and $1.8 billion [4].
According to the filing, the fund was established to provide compensation to officers who were harmed during the breach of the Capitol. Dunn argues that allowing rioters to access these funds contradicts the original purpose of the settlement.
"The settlement fund was intended to compensate officers harmed by the attack, not to pay the rioters who assaulted us," Dunn said [5].
The former officer emphasized that the government should not provide financial incentives to those who engaged in the violence.
"These people… should not be rewarded by the government," Dunn said [6].
The lawsuit seeks a court order to ensure that the distribution of the billions of dollars in the fund is restricted to the intended victims of the riot, rather than the perpetrators.
“These people… should not be rewarded by the government.”
This lawsuit represents a critical legal battle over the interpretation of the anti-weaponization settlement. If the court rules in favor of Dunn, it will establish a precedent that prevents federal settlement funds from being used as restitution for individuals who committed illegal acts during the Capitol breach, ensuring the funds remain dedicated to the injured officers.
