Trump DOJ fund might pay Jan. 6 defendants, Blanche says
Acting U.S. Attorney Todd Blanche testifies at a Senate Appropriations Committee, Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on May 19, 2026 in Washington, DC.
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Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor Todd Blanche He will not rule out the possibility that people convicted of assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot will be allowed to seek payment from a new Justice Department fund created by the Biden administration to compensate people who claim they were politically targeted, he said Tuesday.
Pressured at a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing, Blanche said “anyone in this country can apply” for a new $1.8 billion “Arms Fight Fund” and said the commission would decide the rules on who can receive compensation.
“The commission will set the rules,” Blanche said when asked whether members of the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers or others convicted of attacking Capitol Police officers could receive payments. “That’s not up to me to determine. That’s up to the commissioners.”
Blanche also rejected a pledge that donors to President Donald Trump’s campaigns would be excluded from the fund, saying only that the payments would be subject to the settlement agreement.
“Will you pledge that none of President Trump’s family will receive direct payments from this fund?” “Yes,” replied Blanche.
The exchange comes a day after the Justice Department announced the funding as part of a deal with Trump that included him. Dropped $10 billion lawsuit A lawsuit was filed against the Internal Revenue Service due to the leak of tax returns.
Democrats on the panel criticized Blanche over the funding.
“This all seems like a blatant abuse of power by the Justice Department and the president,” Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., told Blanche. “You’re his appointee, the IRS is his appointees, he’s the plaintiff, and I don’t think the American people are surprised that all this money is suddenly going to their friends or people in their orbit.”
The Justice Department said Monday that the fund would create a process for people who claim to be victims of “arming and law enforcement” to seek financial compensation or a formal apology.
The hearing also touched on the resignation of Treasury Department General Counsel Brian Morrissey, who was reportedly linked to the creation of the fund, although CNBC did not confirm the reason.
Asked if it was a coincidence that Morrissey resigned on the day the Treasury was supposed to certify the payments, Blanche said: “I don’t know if it was a coincidence,” adding that she did not check why Morrissey resigned.
A Treasury spokesperson told CNBC: “As general counsel, Brian Morrissey served the United States Treasury with both honor and integrity. We wish him success in his future endeavors.”
Democrats and government watchdogs say the fund is a taxpayer-backed “secret fund” to reward Trump’s allies.
Blanche rejected that characterization on Tuesday and walked back her claim that Trump had created a fund that would allow him to decide which political allies would receive taxpayer-funded payments.
“This is not a slush fund,” Blanche said. “It’s been done many times.”
The Justice Department has not yet released detailed eligibility rules for the fund, which will be overseen by a five-member commission appointed by the attorney general.
