Michael Cohen Aims for Justice Department’s Anti-Weaponization Fund

Michael Cohen, once a lawyer for Donald Trump and now a critic, intends to apply for funds from the Justice Department’s new “anti-weaponization fund.” This fund, valued at $1.776 billion, aims to reimburse individuals who claim legal system misuse against them. Cohen’s application aligns with a settlement to resolve a lawsuit between Trump and the Justice Department.

Cohen argues his experiences mirror those that led Trump to sue, impacting his professional and personal life. He notes, “The basis for which Trump instituted the $10 billion action are the same causes of action that have affected me as well—has cost me my law license, my businesses, finances, family happiness, business relationships and opportunities.”

Cohen was sentenced in 2018 to three years for campaign finance violations related to payments arranged for women alleging affairs with Trump. Cohen later testified against Trump in a New York state criminal case involving falsified business records. This is not Cohen’s first attempt for relief; he previously sued over being returned to prison from home confinement, though the suit was dismissed.

“If the weaponization fund truly exists to support individuals destroyed by politically motivated law enforcement tactics, selective prosecution, government leaks, abuses of power and intentional destruction of reputation, then there is perhaps no clearer example than what happened to me,” Cohen affirmed.

A panel appointed by the Attorney General will decide fund allocations, without partisan bias. Other applicants include Trump ally Michael Caputo and certain Jan. 6 defendants.

The fund has faced criticism from various parties and ethics groups, including Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, labeling it “the most brazen act of self-dealing in the history of the presidency.” The Justice Department asserts the fund will correct years of alleged legal system misuse.