Photo: Andrew Harnik / Getty Images News / Getty Images
Two police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 riot have filed a lawsuit to stop President Donald Trump's $1.776 billion "anti-weaponization fund." The fund is intended to compensate those who claim to be victims of politically motivated prosecutions, but former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn and D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges argue it will support January 6 rioters.
The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday (May 20) in Washington, D.C., claims the fund violates the 14th Amendment by using federal money to aid insurrectionists. The officers allege that the fund will finance those who organized and participated in the Capitol attack, potentially encouraging further violence against them. The fund was created as part of a settlement after Trump sued the IRS for $10 billion over leaked tax returns.
The Justice Department, which announced the fund earlier this week, is likely to argue that Dunn and Hodges lack standing to sue. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the fund, describing it as "unusual but not unprecedented." He did not rule out the possibility that January 6 rioters could receive payouts.
Critics, including House Democrats, have challenged the fund's legality, calling it a "taxpayer-funded slush fund." They argue that it undermines democracy and the rule of law. The fund's operations will be overseen by a commission appointed by the attorney general, with the power to decide which claims to accept.
Dunn, who is running for Congress in Maryland, and Hodges are represented by the Public Integrity Project, an anti-corruption group. The officers' lawsuit highlights their ongoing harassment and death threats from January 6 participants, reinforcing their personal stake in the fund's outcome.