Mike Howell Seeks Board Seat on $1.7B Trump Fund
Mike Howell anti-weaponization fund board
Republican lawyer and conservative activist Mike Howell has officially submitted his candidacy to join the board of the newly established Department of Justice (DOJ) “Anti-Weaponization Fund.” In a letter sent Wednesday to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Howell requested consideration for one of the five available seats on the commission tasked with overseeing the distribution of over $1.7 billion in compensation to individuals who claim they were victims of federal legal “weaponization.”
The fund, announced earlier this week, is a central component of the DOJ’s settlement regarding a $10 billion lawsuit filed by President Trump against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) concerning the leak of his tax returns. If appointed, Howell would play a significant role in determining how these taxpayer funds are allocated. His application is the first known request for a board position, following the news that former Trump adviser Michael Caputo has already submitted the first claim for compensation from the fund, seeking $2.7 million in restitution.
Howell, who serves as the president of the Oversight Project and is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation, is a prominent figure in conservative circles known for investigating government overreach. He is also a close ally of Ed Martin, the current U.S. pardon attorney, who has been a vocal advocate for the pardons and commutations of more than 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Howell previously ran Martin’s Senate confirmation process during his time as an interim U.S. attorney for D.C.
In his application to Acting Attorney General Blanche, Howell outlined his intent to organize a “national gathering” in Washington, D.C., for those who claim to be victims of political targeting if he is selected for the panel. He noted that such a gathering would include individuals who incurred legal fees or faced prison time due to their political activities, including those involved in the events of January 6. The fund, which is slated to operate through the end of 2028, has faced intense criticism from Democratic lawmakers and watchdog groups, who characterize the compensation program as a “slush fund” for the president’s political allies.
