By Maribel Velazquez
The current dispute over the so-called “fund against militarization” of the administration of donald trump still open. Although a federal judge refused to temporarily block the program, he also issued a warning to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and made it clear that he expects concrete actions to demonstrate that the controversial fund has really been abandoned.
The decision was made by the federal judge Richard Leonwho denied a request for a temporary restraining order filed by the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). However, during the hearing he questioned the government’s position and asked that judicial follow-up of the case not be minimized.
“Do not ignore this court,” Leon warned the representatives of the Department of Justice.
The government maintains that the fund is dead
The controversy revolves around a fund of $1,776 million announced to resolve a lawsuit filed by Trump against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the leak of his tax returns.
The program was designed to compensate alleged victims of government persecution, but it received criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans. Its detractors argue that it could benefit the president’s political allies.
Last week, the acting prosecutor Todd Blanche assured Congress that the Department of Justice “will not continue with the fund”a statement that the government has used to maintain that the lawsuits against it no longer have reason to exist.
Doubts persist about the legality of the program
Despite this position, the plaintiffs claim that the fund remains in force because it has not been formally revoked. During the hearing, CREW’s attorney, Nikhel Susargued that Blanche’s statement does not amount to a proper cancellation of the program.
“This is very unusual,” Sus pointed out in court. Leon agreed that the situation is atypical.
“This entire case is unusual, to say the least,” the judge responded.
For his part, the DOJ lawyer, Andrew Blockacknowledged that he does not know why the government has not issued a formal revocation. However, he maintained that the fund has never begun to operate: no administrators have been appointed, there are no active procedures, no claims have been received and no money has been distributed.
Although the judge refused to block the program immediately, he has yet to resolve another request filed by the plaintiffs. The case keeps open a new front for the Trump administration and could define the limits of this type of mechanisms promoted by the federal government.
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