<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A federal judge on Friday ordered the <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/department-of-justice/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Department of Justice</a> to reveal the individuals behind the now-defunct $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund, which was intended to compensate individuals who claimed the <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/federal-government/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">federal government</a> improperly targeted them in investigations.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">U.S. Magistrate Judge Ivan D. Davis ruled that the DOJ must disclose the names as part of a lawsuit challenging the fund, which Attorney General <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/todd-blanche/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Todd Blanche</a> has stated is canceled.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">"Who came up with it? That’s what conception means," Davis said during a hearing in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/04/judge-orders-doj-disclose-who-conceived-now-defunct-payout-fund/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">according to</a> the <em>Washington Post</em>.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The ruling is narrower than what the plaintiffs had requested. Plaintiffs sought information identifying individuals involved in conceiving, creating, and implementing the fund. Davis stated that such a broad request began to resemble a "fishing expedition," but determined that the identities of those who designed the fund were relevant to the case.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The fund was announced by the DOJ in May as part of an agreement settling President <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/donald-trump/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Donald Trump’s</a> $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS regarding the leak of his tax records. The proposal aimed to direct money from the <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/treasury-department/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Treasury Department</a>’s Judgment Fund to compensate individuals who claimed they were politically targeted by federal investigations during the Biden administration.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The proposal faced bipartisan backlash on Capitol Hill, particularly concerning the potential for individuals prosecuted for participating in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot to receive payouts.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Trump and Blanche indicated that the administration would not proceed with the fund, as it caused significant controversy with GOP senators, jeopardizing Blanche’s nomination as attorney general.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">However, lawsuits challenging the proposal have continued. The Virginia case has entered the discovery phase, allowing the challengers to seek documents and information regarding the program's development. The plaintiffs include former federal prosecutor Andrew Floyd, who worked on January 6 cases before being dismissed by the Trump administration.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Davis’s ruling means the government must now disclose who devised the fund’s structure, but this information may not be made public. Davis instructed the parties to treat discovery materials as protected from public disclosure while the litigation is ongoing.</p>