A federal judge in Alexandria, Virginia, extended her block against the Department of Justice's proposed Anti-Weaponization Fund on June 12, 2026. Judge Leonie Brinkema stated that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's verbal assurance that the fund would not proceed was insufficient. She has given Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent one week to submit written sworn declarations confirming the fund's discontinuation.
The fund, initially announced on May 18, 2026, was intended to compensate individuals who claimed to be victims of prosecutorial overreach during the Biden administration, with an allocation of $1.776 billion. It faced criticism from both congressional Democrats and some Republicans, particularly regarding its potential use to compensate individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Brinkema's ruling followed a similar case in the District of Columbia, where a judge declined to issue a temporary restraining order against the fund. Brinkema expressed skepticism about the DOJ's claims of terminating the fund, especially in light of statements made by former President Donald Trump.
Pooja Boistute, senior counsel at Democracy Forward, representing the plaintiffs, stated that the court's decision was a victory for constitutional safeguards. The plaintiffs include Andrew Floyd, a former federal prosecutor, Jonathan Caravello, a professor, and the city of New Haven, Connecticut.
Democracy Forward's CEO, Skye Perryman, emphasized the ruling's significance in preventing taxpayer dollars from being allocated through the proposed fund while legal concerns are addressed.