DOJ rebuffs judge's demand for sworn statement on defunct 'anti-weaponization' fund

The Trump administration has refused to submit a sworn declaration from top officials confirming that a controversial $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund will not proceed, calling the demand "unnecessary." The Justice Department informed the federal district court in Alexandria, Virginia, that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would not provide the requested filing.

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unnecessary

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema had requested the declaration under penalty of perjury last week. She aimed to ensure that the "anti-weaponization" program would not be pursued "in any manner, or under any name" to "avoid any further litigation." The judge also issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Justice Department from creating or operating the program, which remains in effect.

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to avoid any further litigation

Senior Justice Department lawyers, including Andrew Block, senior counsel to Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, argued that the declaration is "unnecessary" and that compelling testimony from senior Executive Branch officials implicates "serious separation of powers concerns." Block noted that Blanche had previously testified to Congress that the fund is "not going forward, period," and that similar assertions have been made in court filings.

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implicates serious separation of powers concerns

However, the judge pointed out that none of these previous statements were made under penalty of perjury. The lawsuit against the administration was brought by a coalition including two nonprofits and a former federal prosecutor. Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, representing the plaintiffs, criticized the administration's refusal, stating, "It is telling that even after the federal court gave them a week, the Acting Attorney General and other senior administration officials continue to refuse to say under oath that the Slush Fund is dead and won't operate in the future."

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not going forward, period