Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jun 9

CREW Presses Judge to Block $1.8 Billion Justice Fund as Jan. 6 Payout Fears Persist

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Jun 9

CREW Presses Judge to Block $1.8 Billion Justice Fund as Jan. 6 Payout Fears Persist

Q: If the Justice Department vows to scrap the fund, why is a court order still necessary?

A court order is still sought because the Justice Department’s pledge is not legally binding on its own, and key parts of the record still leave room for the fund to be revived or used. CREW’s concern is that the fund was created through a formal settlement mechanism tied to the federal Judgment Fund, not just a casual proposal. Once that machinery is in place, a verbal or political assurance does not necessarily prevent future action unless a judge blocks it. That is especially important because Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche reportedly would not put the promise in writing, and President Trump later suggested he was unsure whether the fund was dead or merely paused. The watchdog group also wants a court order to preserve the status quo while judges examine whether the fund was lawful in the first place. Critics argue the arrangement is highly unusual, lacks normal oversight, and could allow claims by people far beyond the original lawsuit. If money were distributed before the courts rule, that would be difficult to unwind. There is also active litigation in more than one court. A judge in Virginia has already temporarily frozen the fund, and another hearing in Washington was set to determine whether a separate order should issue there as well. In that setting, CREW is seeking something stronger than an executive promise: a binding judicial order that prevents the fund from being established or restarted unless a court says it can be.

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 9

CREW on Tuesday renewed its push for a court order permanently stopping a $1.8 billion Justice Department compensation fund, saying it does not trust the Trump administration's pledge to abandon the plan.
Judge Richard Leon is due to hear the request Wednesday in Washington, while a separate federal judge in Alexandria has already temporarily frozen the fund and will revisit that order Friday.
The fund has become a political flashpoint because critics fear it could compensate people tied to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack, including rioters who assaulted police.
Congress has not shut it down: the Senate last week rejected efforts to kill the fund, and one Republican and one Democrat in the House are trying to force a separate vote through a discharge petition.

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The New York Times4h ago

Watchdog Group Skeptical of Justice Dept. Vows, Seeks Order to Stop $1.8 Billion Fund

If the Justice Department vows to scrap the fund, why is a court order still necessary?

Besides the fund, what does the settlement's permanent IRS audit ban mean for tax enforcement?

How could this $1.8B settlement change the future of government payouts without congressional approval?

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1 total

Left100%

The New York Times4h ago

Watchdog Group Skeptical of Justice Dept. Vows, Seeks Order to Stop $1.8 Billion Fund

CREW Presses Judge to Block $1.8 Billion Justice Fund as Jan. 6 Payout Fears Persist

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