Two police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol during the January 6 attack have filed a lawsuit to prevent anyone, including the rioters, from accessing payouts from a new $1.776 billion settlement fund. This fund is intended for those who claim to be victims of politically motivated legal actions.
The lawsuit was submitted a day after Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the creation of the fund during a congressional hearing. Blanche, who served as a personal attorney for Trump before joining the Justice Department, did not rule out the possibility that individuals involved in the January 6 assault might qualify for payouts.
The lawsuit argues that the fund is an illegal financial reserve intended to support “insurrectionists” and groups committing violence under Trump’s name. It labels the fund’s establishment as “the most brazen act of presidential corruption this century.”
The fund’s origins trace back to a settlement of Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over his leaked tax returns. It’s meant to provide compensation to those who feel wronged by prior Justice Department actions. A five-member commission appointed by the Attorney General will decide on the payouts.
Over 100 police officers were injured in the Capitol riot. Nearly 1,600 people faced charges linked to January 6, but Trump pardoned all these cases last year. Daniel Hodges, a Metropolitan Police Department officer, and Harry Dunn, a former U.S. Capitol Police officer now running for Congress in Maryland, are the plaintiffs suing Trump.
Both officers testified about their experiences during the attack. Video footage captured a rioter attacking Hodges as he fought to control a tunnel entrance. The officers assert that the fund “encourages those who enacted violence in the President’s name to continue.”
The plaintiffs warn that the fund increases the threat of violence against them, as they already face credible death threats regularly. A commission, whose members will be selected by Blanche, will determine payout eligibility and amounts. In a CNN interview, Blanche stated that while it is abhorrent to harm law enforcement, “people that hurt police get money all the time” through lawsuits against the government. He dismissed criticism of the fund as “fake outrage.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Spokespeople for the Justice and Treasury Departments have not commented on the suit. Brendan Ballou, one of the officers’ attorneys and a former Justice Department prosecutor who has handled January 6 cases, is involved in the case.