The Trump administration’s effort to compensate individuals it says were targeted by the previous government has drawn immediate applications from former supporters who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. David Johnston, a licensed attorney and South Carolina resident who entered the Capitol illegally alongside other Trump supporters on that day, said he is assisting pardoned defendants with their claims to the newly established federal program.
The Department of Justice created the settlement fund, capitalizing it at $1.776 billion, to provide financial relief to allies of President Donald Trump who argue they faced politically motivated prosecution. The fund’s structure has prompted a rapid response network among former defendants, with legal professionals moving to file claims on behalf of those recently granted clemency.
Johnston told reporters he expects the program to reshape public understanding of the events of Jan. 6. “I think the narrative is changing” about how the history of that day is being told, Johnston said in a video posted to social media. “I think good things are happening for us.”
His offer to process applications carries a standard contingency arrangement. Johnston said he will take a 10% cut of any award granted, with his individual fee capped at $5,000 per claimant. The arrangement mirrors commercial legal-fee structures common in civil settlement and compensation proceedings.
The rush to tap the fund follows President Trump’s issuance of pardons to hundreds of individuals who were charged or convicted in connection with the Capitol attack. Many of those pardoned had previously entered guilty pleas in federal court, admitting under oath that they broke the law by entering restricted grounds, engaging in disorderly conduct, or obstructing an official proceeding during the 2021 breach.
Federal prosecutors secured hundreds of convictions stemming from the attack, marking the largest criminal investigation in U.S. history. The Justice Department pursued cases against individuals who physically confronted police officers, damaged Capitol property, or breached security perimeters. Those convictions have since been vacated or dismissed following the administration’s clemency actions.
The compensation fund has already faced legal challenges from Capitol Police officers and other critics who filed lawsuits seeking to block payouts to individuals who breached the building. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on the program earlier this week as courts evaluate whether the fund’s statutory authority covers individuals whom federal prosecutors previously characterized as rioters.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and other administration officials defended the program, framing it as a corrective measure against what they described as selective prosecution under the Biden administration. The administration said the fund is intended to cover legal expenses, lost wages, and other harms suffered by individuals targeted for political reasons.
As claims are filed, the Department of Justice will process applications and determine award amounts according to the settlement’s internal guidelines. The final structure of disbursements and the eligibility determinations for individuals who admitted to federal crimes will likely remain subject to ongoing litigation.