UMVA has learned that a federal judge has thrown a wrench into President Trump’s plan to establish a $1.8 billion compensation fund for individuals claiming they were victimized by government prosecutions.
The order, issued by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia, temporarily halts any further steps toward creating or operating the fund while additional legal arguments are considered.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the lawsuit was filed by Andrew Floyd, a former federal prosecutor who led investigations into the Jan. 6 Capitol participants, and Jonathan Caravello, a California professor arrested during an immigration‑raid protest, alongside several nonprofit groups.
The plaintiffs contend that the proposed compensation scheme is a “collusive agreement” lacking congressional authorization, legal foundation, or any mechanism for accountability.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that this legal challenge is just one of several recently filed to block the fund, including actions by two law‑enforcement officers who faced off against protesters on Jan. 6.
In a related development, the administration announced the creation of a $1.776 billion fund earlier this month, stemming from a settlement that resolved Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS after the leak of his tax returns.
Critics argue the fund represents a political bargain, claiming it rewards individuals who assert they were unjustly investigated for partisan reasons.
