Trump’s DOJ Says It Will Drop ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund Amid GOP Revolt

 https://www.newsweek.com/trump-doj-drops-anti-weaponization-fund-court-block-gop-revolt-12018512

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Monday it will comply with a federal court order temporarily blocking its proposed “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” despite strongly disagreeing with the ruling, as backlash mounted from Republicans over the initiative.

The judge ruled that the fund is on pause for the two-week period, according to court documents. President Donald Trump is now reconsidering whether to move ahead with a $1.8 billion fund intended to compensate his allies, a person familiar with his thinking told the Associated Press.

In a statement, the DOJ criticized a judge in the Eastern District of Virginia for the decision that delays the fund, which it said was intended to support individuals who believed they had been unfairly targeted or persecuted, regardless of political affiliation.

DOJ provided its statement to Newsweek via email, "The Department of Justice disagrees strongly with the decision on the Anti-Weaponization Fund put forth by the United States District Court Judge in the Eastern District of Virginia, wherein the Court stated that, under no circumstances, may the Department of Justice proceed with the Anti-Weaponization Fund recently established in order to make up for the tremendous abuse, harm, and hate unfairly shown to so many people. This Fund was open to anybody who was so weaponized, targeted, or persecuted, whether they were Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Independent, or otherwise. The Department will abide by the Court’s ruling."