United States Department of the Treasury General Counsel Brian Morrissey resigned Monday shortly after the United States Department of Justice announced a controversial $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund.”
The new fund is intended to provide settlements and formal apologies to people who claim they were unfairly targeted by the federal government during the Biden administration.
According to reports, the fund could potentially include payouts to some individuals connected to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot who have filed lawsuits against the government.
A Treasury Department spokesperson confirmed Morrissey’s departure and thanked him for his service.
Before becoming Treasury’s top lawyer, Morrissey served as principal deputy general counsel at the department and previously clerked for Clarence Thomas.
Reports said Morrissey’s resignation letter expressed gratitude toward Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The DOJ announced the fund as part of a settlement involving Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.
Under the arrangement:
| Key Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Fund amount | $1.776 billion |
| Purpose | Compensation and apologies for alleged government targeting |
| Managed by | Treasury Department |
| Oversight | Appointees selected by acting Attorney General |
| Linked issue | Claims of political “weaponization” |
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the government should never be “weaponized” against citizens and described the fund as a lawful process for people seeking redress.
However, critics strongly questioned the legality and structure of the settlement.
Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, called the agreement “pure fraud and highway robbery.”
Raskin argued that a president cannot effectively sue the government and then settle the case through his own administration. He claimed the arrangement violates constitutional principles requiring genuine legal disputes between separate parties.
The DOJ has not yet released a full list of who may qualify for compensation from the fund.
The announcement has already sparked major political debate, especially because some Jan. 6 defendants and rioters currently have lawsuits pending against the federal government.
