Story perspectives

Caputo Files First $2.7M Claim in DOJ Weaponization Fund

5/21/2026

Summary

Story summary

Michael Caputo, former Trump adviser, filed the first $2.7 million claim under the DOJ’s anti-weaponization fund.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the $1.8 billion fund draws $1.776 billion from a permanent judgment appropriation to reimburse those wrongly targeted.
A five-member commission—four appointed by Blanche and one consulted with Congress—will decide payout eligibility.
Vice President JD Vance said U.S. citizens—including Republicans, Democrats and Hunter Biden—may apply, and police-attack claims will be reviewed individually.

History

Historical Context

After the 1980 commission’s report condemned WWII internment, Congress passed the Civil Liberties Act, which President Ronald Reagan signed on August 10 1988. Sponsored by Rep. Norman Mineta and Sen. Spark Matsunaga, the law paid $20,000 to each of the 82,219 surviving Japanese-American internees, totaling $1.2 billion. The Department of Justice now cites that reparative model for its anti-weaponization fund.

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Story summary

Michael Caputo, former Trump adviser, filed the first $2.7 million claim under the DOJ’s anti-weaponization fund.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the $1.8 billion fund draws $1.776 billion from a permanent judgment appropriation to reimburse those wrongly targeted.
A five-member commission—four appointed by Blanche and one consulted with Congress—will decide payout eligibility.
Vice President JD Vance said U.S. citizens—including Republicans, Democrats and Hunter Biden—may apply, and police-attack claims will be reviewed individually.

1 / 2