A federal court should issue a temporary restraining order to immediately halt the transfer of $1.776 billion from the Treasury Department to President Trump’s secretive slush fund, according to a motion filed today by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

Last week, CREW filed a lawsuit arguing that Trump’s slush fund is unconstitutional and in violation of multiple federal laws. If the government is allowed to deposit taxpayer dollars into this fund while the lawsuit is ongoing, it would deprive CREW and the public of urgently needed information about the fund’s structure and its plan to disburse the money, and prevent any meaningful opportunity for public comment as required by law.

“As countless Americans struggle financially, President Trump is trying to route nearly 2 billion in taxpayer dollars to his friends and supporters—potentially including violent, already-pardoned insurrectionists—through an unconstitutional and secretive structure,” said CREW President Donald K. Sherman. “Despite what he may believe or desire, the president does not have the power to unilaterally and secretly send these taxpayer funds out the door. The court must prevent this grift from happening before it’s too late.”

Unlike legitimate victim compensation funds like the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, Trump’s fund was not authorized by Congress, nor was it the product of any judicially approved, arm’s length legal settlement to a known class of plaintiffs. Instead, it was the product of a collusive settlement orchestrated by Trump and the DOJ of his absurd $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS. At this time, it is unclear when the settlement money will leave the Treasury Department and what kind of account it will be transferred to, and whether the fund is operating and preserving records as required by law, requiring immediate court action to prevent irreparable harm.

“Over and over again, Trump has acted illegally without regard for Congress, the courts or the public, and treated the public’s money like his personal piggy bank. This slush fund is just the latest example,” said Sherman. “Enough is enough. The court can and must put a stop to this before it’s too late.”

Click here to read the filing.