A federal judge appointed by Bill Clinton has blocked Donald Trump from moving forward his plans to create a $1.8 billion taxpayer ‘slush fund’ to compensate his political allies.
Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled Friday that the Trump administration cannot establish an Anti-Weaponization Fund, blocking it from transferring money, reviewing any claims submitted to it, or disbursing money to applicants.
The fund was created as part of a settlement from Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against his own Treasury Department over the leak of his 2019 tax return.
It is designed to pay individuals who claim they were politically targeted by the Biden Justice Department, including 1,600 pardoned January 6 Capitol rioters.
Lawmakers from both parties on Capitol Hill have criticized the White House for seeking to reward individuals who assaulted police officers, with some calling it a ‘slush fund.’
The lawsuit was filed last week by plaintiffs arguing that the fund is unconstitutional and violates federal law.
Judge Brinkema, 81, set a hearing for June 12 to hear further arguments on whether she will impose a longer-lasting pause on Trump’s fund. The DOJ faces two other federal lawsuits regarding the program.
Brinkema, who serves on the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, has was appointed by Clinton in 1993.
The Daily Mail has contacted the White House for comment.
The $1.776 billion fund will have the power to issue formal apologies and monetary relief owed to claimants.
While Trump is barred from directly receiving payments from the fund, entities associated with him are not explicitly prohibited from filing additional ones.