Lawsuit Argues Trump’s $1.8 Billion Fund Excludes Those He Targeted
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- A coalition of individuals and groups filed a lawsuit challenging a $1.8 billion fund created under President Trump for victims of what he called a “weaponized” federal government, alleging partisan favoritism and illegality.
- The fund is intended to compensate those who claim they were targeted by “Democrat” administrations, but critics argue it unfairly benefits Trump supporters, including some convicted of crimes related to the January 6 Capitol attack.
- Plaintiffs include people who say they were targeted by the Trump administration, such as Andrew Floyd, a former federal prosecutor fired for his Jan. 6 investigation work, and Jonathan Caravello, a professor acquitted of felony assault after protesting an immigration raid.
- Legal experts note the difficulty in contesting the fund in court due to challenges in proving direct harm by the fund itself, making this lawsuit’s novel approach significant.
- The lawsuit asserts that the fund’s explicit partisan bias violates constitutional protections like the First Amendment and equal protection under the law.