Republican Lawyer Seeks Position on Panel Overseeing $1.7 Billion Fund

A Republican lawyer with ties to Ed Martin, the U.S. pardon attorney, has submitted a request to the Justice Department to join a panel managing over $1.7 billion. This fund is intended for individuals claiming to be victims of legal “weaponization,” according to a letter obtained by CBS News.

On Wednesday evening, Mike Howell, a lawyer, expressed in a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche his intention to be considered for one of the five-member positions on the anti-weaponization fund. Blanche holds the responsibility for appointing the commission members, as stated in a recent memo he signed. The announcement of the fund came Monday as part of the Department of Justice’s settlement of a $10 billion lawsuit filed by President Trump against the Internal Revenue Service over leaked tax returns earlier this year.

“I have testified before the House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and have appeared on national television and radio to lay out the cases of ordinary Americans targeted by federal law enforcement for their political views, their faith, and their exercise of constitutionally protected rights,” Howell wrote.

If selected, Howell will wield significant power in overseeing payments from the fund. The DOJ has said that the fund will be operational until the end of 2028.

Howell has strong ties to Martin, having managed his Senate confirmation process when Martin was nominated to be U.S. attorney for D.C. Although Martin held the position on an interim basis, he did not secure the role full-time. Howell presides over the Oversight Project, a conservative group probing alleged governmental weaponization, and he is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s border security and immigration center.

“The anti-weaponization fund is a historic step,” Howell stated to CBS News, declaring his readiness to ensure its success.

The Justice Department has not commented on Howell’s candidacy. CNN reported that Michael Caputo, a former Trump adviser, was the first to submit a compensation request, seeking $2.7 million, claiming he was targeted by the FBI’s Russian interference investigation.

The DOJ’s settlement deal outlines broad criteria for applicants to the fund, who could include Capitol riot defendants and MAGA allies, although the department noted no partisan requirements for submitting claims.

In his letter, Howell mentioned that his immediate priority upon joining the panel would be to organize a national meeting for victims of governmental weaponization. The event would offer these victims a platform to share their experiences.

Howell emphasized, “These victims will include those who had to pay legal fees because of their support for President Trump, those who were sent to prison, including those involved with January 6th, 2021.”