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By Dan Gooding
Associate News Editor
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Two police officers who were at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6 sued the Trump administration on Wednesday, seeking to block the Department of Justice's new "anti-weaponization fund", warning it will fund groups including the Proud Boys.
The pair, who clashed with rioters protesting the results of the 2020 election, are suing President Donald Trump, his Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, arguing the $1.776 billion fund endangers their lives and safety.
"The Fund’s mere existence sends a clear and chilling message: those who enact violence in President Trump’s name will not just avoid punishment, they will be rewarded with riches," the complaint read.
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U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn and Metropolitan Police Department officer Daniel Hodges want a judge to block the fund and reverse any payments made by the Treasury Department.
A Department of Justice spokesperson later told Newsweek, “The only thing illegal and corrupt about this situation is the brazen weaponization of federal resources by previous administrations to retaliate against those with opposing political beliefs. This Department will continue to expose this lawfare and ensure those who experienced injustices are made whole.”
Newsweek also reached out to the White House and the Treasury via email for comment on Wednesday morning.
Police Officers' Sue Over DOJ Fund: What To Know
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The complaint argues that the new fund is illegal, unconstitutional, and dangerous.
Blanche said Monday that the fund will be for those who believe they faced unfair prosecution by the Biden administration's DOJ. Dunn and Hodges say it will mean the federal government will directly fund groups which threatened law enforcement, including the Proud Boys, many of whom were pardoned by the president following his return to office.
"The Anti-Weaponization Fund will both compensate and empower the very people making those threats. Militias like the Proud Boys will use money from the Fund to arm and equip themselves," the complaint, filed in the District of Columbia, read.
"The Fund will grant their pasts acts of violence legal imprimatur. And, most chillingly, the Fund will signal to past and potential future perpetrators of violence against Dunn and Hodges that they need not fear prosecution; to the contrary, they should expect to be rewarded."
The complaint repeatedly alleges the fund is intended to compensate January 6 defendants—almost 1,600 people—as well as allies of President Trump.
It goes on to criticize how the fund was created, saying the five-member commission, which will be overseen by the Attorney General and be answerable to the president, is not allowed under statute and leaves the commission open to abuse.
What is the Anti-Weaponization Fund?
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The Justice Department said the fund will establish a formal process for individuals to file claims alleging they were improperly targeted by the federal government, specifically during the Biden administration, with authority to issue both apologies and financial compensation.
The fund is expected to operate for several years and will be overseen by officials appointed by the attorney general, with periodic reporting and potential audits built into the process.
On Tuesday, Blanche defended the fund during a Senate hearing, which was meant to discuss the Trump administration’s DOJ budget request. Instead, he sparred with senators over the fund, the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files, and the administration’s prosecutions.
Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, pressed him on whether people who assaulted police officers during the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol would be eligible. Blanche declined to specify if there would be rules disqualifying them from the fund.
“As was made plainly yesterday, anybody in this country is eligible to apply if they believe they are a victim of weaponization,” he said.
What Happens Next
The two officers want a judge to declare the creation of the fund unlawful, and to reclaim any funds already set aside for it.
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