Former US Capitol riot prosecutors, fired federal officials and journalists who say they were past targets of President Donald Trump’s retribution tell CNN they may seek compensation from the Justice Department’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund.
Some Trump critics have already sent letters to the DOJ outlining their claims, hoping to draw attention to how the president has harnessed government powers in an effort to punish his political opponents. Others are still debating whether filing a request could legitimize a fund they see as brazenly corrupt.
The six Democratic lawmakers who faced legal scrutiny after publicly urging servicemembers to disobey illegal orders have also discussed whether to apply, according to a source familiar with the matter. If they do end up filing a claim, it would create a major test case of whether the fund is truly party-blind as DOJ has suggested.
Trump loyalist-turned-nemesis Michael Cohen suggested he deserves compensation after his years of legal battles.
“If the weaponization fund truly exists to support individuals whose lives have been destroyed by politically motivated law enforcement tactics, by selective prosecution, by government leaks, abuses of power, and intentional destruction of reputation, then there is perhaps no clearer example than what happened to me,” he said on CBS News. “I guess I would be a test case.”
