DOJ Official Deletes Post Hinting at New Path for ‘Weaponization’ Compensation Claims
A deleted social media post from one of the Justice Department’s highest-ranking officials is raising new questions about whether compensation efforts for alleged victims of government “weaponization” could continue despite the apparent collapse of the administration’s controversial $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund.
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward briefly responded “We’re on it” Tuesday night after Sen. Lindsey Graham suggested that individuals claiming political targeting by the federal government pursue compensation through the Federal Tort Claims Act. The post was later removed.
The exchange came only hours after Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told lawmakers that the DOJ would not move forward with the Anti-Weaponization Fund, a program created as part of a settlement connected to President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.
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The fund had already become the subject of multiple lawsuits and was temporarily blocked by a federal judge. Critics argued the program could allow compensation for Trump allies and some January 6 defendants, while supporters maintained it would provide restitution to people harmed by politically motivated government actions.
Even with the fund stalled, DOJ officials have emphasized that existing law may provide another path. The Federal Tort Claims Act allows individuals to seek damages from the federal government for certain wrongful acts committed by government employees. Officials have suggested those claims remain available regardless of the fund’s fate.
The practical result is that while the dedicated compensation fund appears effectively shelved, the broader debate over government accountability, political prosecutions, and taxpayer-funded compensation is far from over.
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