Two police officers who defended the Capitol against a pro-Trump mob on Jan. 6, 2021, sued the Trump administration on Wednesday to try to block the creation of a nearly $1.8 billion fund that they say will be used to reward the rioters and right-wing militia groups.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit,<\/a> filed by former Officer Harry Dunn of the U.S. Capitol Police and Officer Daniel Hodges of Washington\u2019s Metropolitan Police, alleges that the Trump administration has created a \u201cslush fund to finance the insurrectionists and paramilitary groups that commit violence in his name.\u201d It names as defendants President Trump, as well as acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.<\/p>\n The suit contends the administration has exceeded its statutory authority by creating the fund without the authorization of Congress.<\/p>\n Trump administration officials have portrayed the fund as a way to compensate people who claim they were unfairly targeted for prosecution by the Biden Justice Department and Democrats, but it has generated widespread opposition, including from some Republicans. Critics see it as nothing more than a pipeline to funnel taxpayer money to Mr. Trump\u2019s allies.<\/p>\n \u201cAlthough Trump and his cronies have been secretive about the fund\u2019s ends, reporting leaves no doubt that it will be used, among other purposes, to pay the nearly 1,600 people charged with attacking the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021,\u201d the lawsuit says.<\/p>\n The White House referred questions on the lawsuit to the Justice Department, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n Mr. Dunn and Mr. Hodges were among the officers who testified before Congress<\/a> about the violence they witnessed as the mob sought to stop lawmakers from certifying Joseph R. Biden Jr.\u2019s presidential victory.<\/p>\n