Justice Department Tells Court $1.8 Billion Payout Fund Halted
The Justice Department has told a federal court that a proposed $1.8 billion payout fund described as an “anti-weaponization fund” is “not going forward,” according to court filings cited in multiple reports.
In papers submitted to judges, Justice Department lawyers said the program will not proceed and urged courts to reject lawsuits challenging it. Several outlets, including CBS News, CNN, The Washington Post, NBC News, ABC News, The New York Times and The Hill, reported on the filings and the department’s position.
The fund had drawn legal challenges seeking court action over the plan. In its recent filings, the department argued that because the program is no longer moving ahead, there is nothing for a judge to block. NBC News described the department as urging a judge not to issue an order halting the fund on the grounds that it is already defunct. CBS News similarly reported that the Justice Department asked judges to throw out the suits after confirming the fund isn’t going forward.
The development matters because it is an unusual step for the department to put in writing that a high-dollar initiative tied to politically charged allegations will not continue, while simultaneously asking courts to end litigation over it. By taking that position, the Justice Department is signaling to the judiciary that the dispute has been overtaken by events and that the lawsuits should be dismissed without further court intervention.
It also narrows the immediate legal questions in the cases. Instead of focusing on whether the fund could be created or operated as contemplated, judges will now weigh whether plaintiffs’ claims remain viable given the government’s representation that the program will not proceed. The Justice Department’s filings are aimed at preventing rulings that could constrain the department beyond this specific dispute, while also avoiding injunctions over a plan the government says has been shelved.
What happens next will be decided in the courts handling the challenges. Judges may request additional briefing, schedule hearings, or move directly to rule on whether the cases should be dismissed in light of the Justice Department’s stated position. Plaintiffs, for their part, can argue that the controversy is not resolved and press for assurances or orders that would prevent the fund from being revived, depending on the claims and the procedural posture of each case.
For now, the Justice Department has formally told the courts that the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” will not move forward, and the fight is shifting to whether the lawsuits still have a case to pursue.
