- A quote from John Adams was projected on the side of "Main Justice" in protest of a $1.8 billion fund.
- Stacey Young, a former Justice Department employee, called the fund a “1.8 billion dollar slush fund” that was “appalling.”
- Young stated, “We are standing up for Department’s integrity and the rule of law,” criticizing the current Justice Department.
- Young remarked that there was an extraordinary abuse of power, indicating that the rule of law is crumbling.
- The Trump administration was described as having shifted the country toward an era of lawlessness due to actions like firing prosecutors involved with the Jan. 6 cases.
- Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the fund was for anyone who felt they were the victims of a weaponized government.
- The fund created as part of a settlement was linked to a $10 billion lawsuit filed by Trump against the IRS.
- Congress is set to weigh in on the composition of the board overseeing the fund.
- Michael Caputo filed the first known claim for the Justice Department’s new anti-weaponization fund, seeking $2.7 million for restitution.
- Caputo stated he was the target of an FBI investigation regarding potential coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.
- Caputo claimed that “the machinery of government was clearly politically weaponized against my family from July 2016 to December 2025.”
- Caputo confirmed the document’s authenticity to NBC News and stated that “they found nothing; we lost everything.”
- On Monday, President Trump stated that the new fund was meant to reimburse people who were “horribly treated.”
- Vice President JD Vance announced that “anybody can apply” for funds, even mentioning that hypothetically Hunter Biden could also seek restitution.
- Payouts for the fund will be determined by a five-member commission, with four members chosen by the attorney general and one in consultation with Congress.
A quote from John Adams was projected on the Department of Justice building as part of a protest against a newly established $1.8 billion fund. The quote declared, "A government of laws, not of men," emphasizing concerns over governmental integrity.12
Protester Jonathan Young stated, "We are standing up for the Department's integrity and the rule of law." He characterized the fund as a "$1.8 billion slush fund", which he deemed "appalling" and indicative of "extraordinary abuse of power." Young claimed that the fund reflects a growing "lawlessness" in governance, citing changes made during the Trump administration, including the firing of prosecutors.5
The fund was created as part of a settlement allowing for legal claims to be dropped, aiming to assist those who feel they were victims of a weaponized government.6
In a related development, Michael Caputo filed the first claim for the DOJ's anti-weaponization fund, requesting $2.7 million in restitution. He claims to have been unfairly targeted by the FBI during the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. According to Caputo, "They found nothing; we lost everything."312
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche indicated that the fund was designed to support those who suffered under politically motivated legal actions. The dispersal of fund payouts will be overseen by a five-member commission appointed partly by the Attorney General and partly in consultation with Congress.7
“A quote from John Adams was displayed on the DOJ building to protest a $1.8 billion fund. Meanwhile, Michael Caputo has filed the first known claim related to this fund.”
Context on DOJ fund and Caputo's claim
Young stated, “We are standing up for Department integrity and the rule of law,” criticizing the current Justice Department. Young remarked that there was an extraordinary abuse of power, indicating that the rule of law is crumbling. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the fund was for anyone who felt they were the victims of a weaponized government. Payouts for the fund will be determined by a five-member commission, four members chosen by the attorney general and one in consultation with Congress. The fund, created as part of a settlement, was linked to a $10 billion lawsuit filed by Trump against the IRS.
Additional updates on fund and claims
On Monday, President Trump stated that the new fund was meant to reimburse people who were “horribly treated.” Vice President JD Vance announced that “anybody can apply” for funds, even mentioning that hypothetically Hunter Biden could also seek restitution. Caputo claimed that “the machinery of government was clearly politically weaponized against my family from July 2016 to December 2025.” Caputo stated he was the target of an FBI investigation regarding potential coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. Caputo confirmed the document’s authenticity to NBC News and stated that “they found nothing; we lost everything.” The Trump administration was described as having shifted the country toward an era of lawlessness due to actions like firing prosecutors involved with the Jan. 6 cases.
