FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 22, 2026
Contact: naf@berlinrosen.com
Lawsuit Challenges Taxpayer-Funded Payout Scheme
Alexandria, Va. — In the most comprehensive case of its kind, the National Abortion Federation (NAF) is joining a broad coalition of organizations and individuals harmed by the Trump-Vance administration in challenging the $1.776 billion so-called “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” which the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) created through a private agreement with President Trump and his family following the president’s own lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This fund allows the Trump-Vance administration to distribute taxpayer money with minimal oversight, transparency, or judicial involvement, while creating a politically discriminatory process that excludes many of the plaintiffs – people alleging abuses by Republican officials or administrations.
Harmed plaintiffs in addition to NAF include former career Assistant U.S. Attorney and January 6th prosecutor Andrew Floyd, Professor John Caravello, and City of New Haven. Additionally, Common Cause joins as a plaintiff because their mission is to safeguard taxpayer funds, and they are unable to do that if taxpayer funds are going toward a secret slush fund. All plaintiffs are represented by Democracy Forward.
In January 2026, President Trump, members of his family, and the Trump Organization sued the IRS and the Treasury Department over the disclosure of his tax return information. Rather than litigating the case, the department settled it by establishing a massive government-funded compensation program designed to benefit people wholly unrelated to the Trump v. IRS litigation. Many of these individuals, who claim they were victims of alleged “lawfare” or “weaponization” by Democrats or Democratic administrations, are now emboldened to continue unlawful activity, including the illegal harassment of abortion clinics and violence at polling locations around the country.
The lawsuit argues that the creation of the fund violates the U.S. Constitution, exceeds executive authority, unlawfully bypasses Congress’s exclusive authority over federal spending and appropriations, and violates the Administrative Procedure Act. The complaint also challenges the administration’s use of the federal Judgment Fund to finance the program. The lawsuit raises concerns about the secrecy surrounding the fund’s operations, including provisions that allow claims and payments to remain confidential and limit public accountability for how nearly $2 billion in taxpayer money is distributed.
“Abortion providers and clinic staff already face escalating threats, harassment, stalking, and violence simply for providing essential healthcare. The Trump-Vance administration has made that danger worse by pardoning anti-abortion extremists, walking away from meaningful FACE Act enforcement, and now attempting to create a taxpayer-funded slush fund that could reward the very people who target abortion providers and patients, including NAF members. This isn’t just an abuse of government power. It’s a direct threat to abortion providers, patients, and communities across the country. NAF is joining this lawsuit because abortion providers and their patients deserve protection, not a federal scheme that emboldens extremists and shields them from accountability,” said Brittany Fonteno, President and CEO of the National Abortion Federation.
“This latest attempt by the Trump-Vance administration to make grift great again is profoundly unlawful and will not withstand judicial scrutiny,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “The administration cannot use taxpayer dollars to create a secretive, politically driven compensation scheme that rewards allies and punishes perceived opponents. The Constitution does not allow the executive branch to build its own corrupt billion-dollar slush fund, shield it from accountability, and distribute public money based on politics and ideology. This lawsuit is about protecting the rule of law and preventing a dangerous abuse of government power, and we will keep showing up in court to hold this administration accountable.”
The plaintiffs are asking the court to block implementation of the fund and prevent the administration from transferring or distributing any funds while the litigation proceeds. As plaintiffs argue, the only way to end the disparate and illegal effects of the Anti-Weaponization Fund is by dissolving it and returning the money to the Judgment Fund, a fund that can only be used to settle imminent litigation of viable lawsuits, not meritless claims by the president and his family.
The case is Andrew Floyd et al v. U.S. Department of Justice et al. The legal team on this matter includes Pooja Boisture, Jyoti Jasrasaria, Aman George, Kevin Friedl, Ayesha Khan, Robin Thurston, and Skye Perryman.
Read the complaint here.
###
The National Abortion Federation is the nation’s largest and leading professional association of abortion providers. NAF represents hundreds of providers and clinics across the country that are on the frontlines of helping people access abortion care. They provide members with trainings, security support, and guidelines for the gold standard of abortion care. NAF also operates the National Abortion Hotline, the largest national, multi-lingual abortion hotline in the U.S, which helps anyone in any state understand their care options, including finding a provider, arranging travel to another state, or funding their care.
National Abortion Hotline: 1-800-772-9100.
The post National Abortion Federation Joins Lawsuit to Block Trump-Vance Administration’s $1.776 Billion Slush Fund appeared first on National Abortion Federation.