On Friday, the Justice Department told a federal judge it will not submit a sworn statement confirming the $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund has been permanently canceled.
The fund was originally proposed to compensate people the administration claims were unfairly targeted by previous government investigations, but critics across the political spectrum labeled it a "slush fund." While Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche previously stated the plan would not move forward, the DOJ now argues that a formal written declaration violates the separation of powers between the executive and judicial branches. In response to this refusal, the judge indefinitely extended an injunction that prevents the administration from distributing any money while the legal dispute continues.
Legal experts are watching to see if this standoff leads to a contempt of court charge or further complicates Blanche's upcoming Senate confirmation hearings.
.Here are the top political news stories for today.
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