Mike Howell Seeks Seat on Trump’s $1.7 Billion Anti-Weaponization Fund Board

1 articles · Updated · CBS New York · May 20

Mike Howell, a Republican lawyer allied with DOJ pardon attorney Ed Martin, asked Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for one of five seats overseeing Trump’s anti-weaponization fund.
The board will control payouts from more than $1.7 billion set aside in a settlement tied to Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit over the leak of his tax returns, with the fund operating through 2028.
Howell called the fund a “historic step” and said he would quickly convene a Washington gathering of alleged victims, including Jan. 6 defendants and others who incurred legal costs for supporting Trump.
His letter is the first known board application, arriving a day after former Trump adviser Michael Caputo sought $2.7 million from the fund over the FBI’s Russia investigation.
The Justice Department says claims carry no partisan requirement, but the fund is already drawing interest from Capitol riot defendants and other MAGA allies, underscoring its role in Trump’s broader retribution agenda.

How will the fund's non-appealable decisions ensure fairness and impartiality for all potential claimants?

With payouts kept confidential, what oversight ensures accountability for the $1.776 billion public fund?

What legal precedent allows a settlement to permanently shield an entity from future tax prosecution?