Judge again orders Justice Department to verify that 'anti-weaponization fund' is not moving forward

A federal judge is again ordering the Department of Justice to formally declare whether the "anti-weaponization fund" is moving forward. 

In the order, District Judge Leonie Brinkema stated she's not convinced that the testimony Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche gave before the House Appropriations Committee earlier this month is proof the Trump administration isn't moving forward with the fund, ABC News reported. 

"That the defendants have refused to accord a genuine degree of trustworthiness to their representations about the Fund not going forward is particularly concerning because of the President's consistent support for the Fund and Acting Attorney General Blanche's acknowledgment that the Fund remains 'important,'" Brinkema wrote.

Brinkema is requiring the DOJ to file papers issuing another response and hinted that Blanche may be asked to give a deposition on his plans for the fund. 

Earlier this month, Brinkema extended a court-ordered block on the use of a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" aimed at compensating people who say they were politically targeted by the Biden administration. Attorneys for the federal government had argued that, in the face of the administration's decision to terminate the plans, the lawsuits against it are moot. 

Brinkema agreed with the plaintiffs and ruled that the block will remain in place pending further notice from the court. She said the Trump administration's mootness argument "doesn't go anywhere." 

Last week, the DOJ refused to issue a signed declaration from Blanche verifying it has no intention of moving forward with the fund. 

The fund was part of a settlement to end Trump's lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns by contractor Charles Littlejohn, who pleaded guilty.