A new lawsuit has been filed against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), alleging that it has refused to reveal whether government lawyers are working on secret plans to use taxpayer money to pay individuals involved in the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. The lawsuit was brought by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a nonprofit watchdog organization, which claims the DOJ has ignored multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and is now asking a court to force the government to provide answers. CREW is seeking transparency about whether the DOJ is negotiating settlement deals with individuals who were pardoned by former President Donald Trump after they were charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol attack. The lawsuit highlights concerns over the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), a law that allows individuals to sue the federal government for injuries caused by government employees or actions. The FTCA draws from the government’s Judgment Fund, a reserve used to pay court judgments and settlements involving the federal government. CREW’s lawsuit notes that while the current status of the fund is unclear, former Trump administration officials have assured Trump allies that the DOJ’s plans to use the FTCA to pay January 6 defendants are still moving forward. This comes after the administration abandoned its earlier proposal for a nearly $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” to compensate Trump’s political allies, which was reportedly dropped to secure support from Republican lawmakers in the Senate. Attorney Peter Ticktin, who represents hundreds of individuals charged in the January 6 attack, has said he has already filed claims on behalf of about 200 clients. Many of these individuals are seeking compensation ranging from $1 million to $10 million for alleged injuries they suffered during the investigation and prosecution of their cases. Former Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican, previously commented that individuals who could prove their claims against the federal government should still be eligible for compensation under the FTCA. In response, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said the DOJ is “on it,” though he later deleted the post. The DOJ has the authority to settle claims against the government, and the Judgment Fund is designed to streamline the process of paying such claims without requiring new congressional appropriations. The Trump administration has already used the Judgment Fund to settle other large claims under the FTCA, including a $5 million payment to the family of Ashli Babbitt, a woman who was killed during the Capitol riot. Shortly after his inauguration, Trump pardoned over 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6 attack. While Trump has expressed support for the idea of compensating those who were charged, he has also stated that he would not approve of taxpayer-funded payouts for those who attacked law enforcement. He has claimed that many defendants pleaded guilty due to fear and that “dirty cops” were at least partially responsible for the violence.