U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono, along with Senators Alex Padilla, Dick Durbin, Amy Klobuchar, and six other colleagues, has called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reject any efforts to refund or financially reward individuals convicted for participating in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The lawmakers addressed their concerns in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi following reports that some January 6 participants are seeking compensation for damages they claim to have suffered due to their prosecution. According to the senators, a lawyer representing these individuals recently met with DOJ officials and proposed establishing a special panel similar to that used for September 11 victims in order to provide financial rewards for alleged harms.
The senators strongly criticized this idea. “Using taxpayer funds to refund January 6 insurrectionists would be an illegal and corrupt abuse of the justice system,” they wrote.
Senator Hirono and her colleagues had previously opposed arguments by the DOJ suggesting that the federal government should return restitution payments made by those convicted for damaging the Capitol. Most requests for such refunds have been denied; however, a recent court decision ordered a refund in one case where an individual was pardoned and their case vacated.
“These criminals are apparently demanding taxpayer compensation, not only to refund court-ordered restitution to cover damages they caused to the Capitol building, but also to compensate them for having to face the legal consequences of their criminal acts,” stated the lawmakers. “While President Trump may have the authority to grant a blanket pardon to these insurrectionists, that miscarriage of justice does not give the Department the unilateral authority to refund or reward these criminals.”
They further stated: “It is insulting for the Department to even entertain the idea of establishing a ‘victims’ fund for those who violently stormed the U.S. Capitol, injured more than 100 law enforcement officers, and caused nearly $3 million in property damages, which was left to the American taxpayers to cover. Moreover, establishing a compensation fund for January 6 insurrectionists without congressional approval would violate federal law. Congress has provided no authorization or funding for such a misguided proposal, and we are confident that it will never do so.”
On January 6, 2021, rioters caused about $3 million in damage at the Capitol and injured over 100 law enforcement officers as they tried to prevent certification of the 2020 election results. The damage included vandalism and destruction throughout congressional offices. Those convicted paid approximately $400,000 in restitution payments that were transferred into Treasury accounts accessible only through congressional action.
The senators concluded: “Misusing taxpayer funds to financially reward those insurrectionists because they were prosecuted and convicted for their violent and destructive actions is unthinkable, and the Department should reject any such request.”
In addition to Senators Hirono, Padilla, Durbin, and Klobuchar, signatories included Senators Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Jeff Merkley, Adam Schiff, Peter Welch, and Sheldon Whitehouse.
