Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told a Senate panel Tuesday that he will not bar people convicted of violence during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot from receiving payments from a newly created $1.776 billion Department of Justice fund designed to compensate individuals who say they were politically targeted by the federal government. MSI previously reported that the fund had drawn sharp criticism from Democrats and good-government groups; Tuesday’s hearing marked the first time Blanche directly addressed the eligibility of convicted rioters under questioning from lawmakers.
Blanche appeared before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Justice Department, where he faced questions about the “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” which was announced last week. The fund is intended to pay people who “believe they were a victim of weaponization” by federal agencies, according to Blanche, and is financed with money appropriated by Congress.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) pressed Blanche specifically on whether the fund would pay individuals who assaulted police officers during the Capitol breach. Merkley asked Blanche whether he would direct the commission that will administer the fund to bar anyone convicted of violent conduct during the riot.
“What I will commit to is making sure that the commissioners are effectively doing their jobs, and that includes setting guidelines as you’re describing,” Blanche responded. He did not commit to excluding violent offenders and said all people can apply “if they believe they were a victim of weaponization.”
The fund is administered by a five-member commission whose members are appointed by the attorney general. Blanche said the commissioners would set the final eligibility guidelines. He declined to specify what criteria the commission should use, beyond his general commitment to ensuring the commissioners fulfill their duties.
Merkley’s questions highlighted a central tension around the fund: whether it will compensate people who were convicted of — or pardoned for — violent acts on Jan. 6. More than 1,500 people have been charged in connection with the riot, and hundreds have been convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers. A broad compensation scheme that includes those individuals would mark a significant shift from the Justice Department’s previous posture toward the riot.
The hearing also touched on other aspects of the fund, including its scope and the process by which applicants would prove they were targeted. Blanche said the commission would develop rules for evaluating claims but provided no timeline for when those rules would be finalized.
Democrats on the subcommittee characterized the fund as a potential slush fund for allies of former President Donald Trump and noted that it was created using money that Congress had appropriated for other purposes. Republicans generally defended the fund as a necessary response to what they described as the weaponization of federal law enforcement agencies under the Biden administration.