Supporters of some Jan. 6 riot defendants have championed the idea of a reparations fund to reimburse the criminal defendants — most of whom were pardoned by President Trump shortly after he returned to office last year — for the cost of their prosecutions and expenses.
Mark McCloskey, an attorney whose social media page says he is “championing the cause of J6 compensation,” posted on his X feed in August: “To all the J6 political prisoners out there- I’m doing everything I can to [expedite] the establishment of a claims resolution procedure so we can get you back on your feet and get you some real justice.”
Sure, let’s do everything the other way around. Compensate the perpetrators and punish the victims: that’s justice Trump-style.
The Trump administration has already approved at least one civil settlement in connection with the mob that overran the Capitol on Jan 6, 2021. The Justice Department approved an approximately $5 million settlement to the family of Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer while she breached a smashed window into the House Speaker’s Lobby.
It’s not clear if the administration is considering other financial settlements with Jan. 6 rioters. CBS News has reached out to the Justice Department for comment on the new legislation.
When asked about the prospect of Jan. 6 reparation payments, former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn told CBS News: “This reeks of audacity. Not only did they get a pardon, they are saying they deserve a payday for the crimes they committed.”
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In a statement, Whitehouse said: “No matter how Trump’s MAGA goons now try to twist it, the January 6 attack on our Capitol was an assault on our democracy. Trump’s blanket day-one pardons for members of the January 6 mob were a slap in the face to the brave law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to protect the country.”
Well, it’s not like we haven’t done similar before, compensating slaveowners for the loss of ‘property’ after human beings were freed from slavery and allowed to live as humans (sort of; if you don’t consider Jim Crow, or the prison system, or voting oppression, or….).
We have a strange perception of who deserves compensation and who doesn’t.
Well, it’s not like we haven’t done similar before, compensating slaveowners for the loss of ‘property’ after human beings were freed from slavery and allowed to live as humans (sort of; if you don’t consider Jim Crow, or the prison system, or voting oppression, or….).
We have a strange perception of who deserves compensation and who doesn’t.