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Supporters of Trump confront law enforcement and security personnel while advancing barricades to infiltrate the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021. Protesters breached security and entered the Capitol while Congress was discussing the certification of Electoral Votes from the 2020 presidential election. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images, FILE
Even though the Department of Justice has announced it is discontinuing its plan for a $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund," numerous defendants from January 6 are still seeking compensation through alternative legal avenues to obtain settlements from the Trump administration.
A notable lawyer representing January 6 defendants informed ABC News that he intends to submit claims against the federal government on behalf of around 400 clients. A recent lawsuit filed by him for nine individuals is seeking a minimum of $1 million in damages for each person.
President Donald Trump appears to have supported similar efforts to claim compensation from the government, stating in a podcast this week that "they ought to be reimbursed," notwithstanding his administration’s decision to abandon its proposed compensation fund.
Supporters of Trump confront law enforcement and security personnel while advancing barricades to infiltrate the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021. Protesters breached security and entered the Capitol while Congress was discussing the certification of Electoral Votes from the 2020 presidential election. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images, FILE
"I am immensely proud to have granted them pardons. And I believe they should be reimbursed by a corrupt government," Trump commented, seemingly referring to the unconditional clemency he extended to nearly 1,600 individuals connected to the January 6, 2021, Capitol assault.
According to federal statutes, individuals who assert they have been wronged by the federal government can apply for compensation under the Federal Tort Claims Act. Should the federal government fail to respond to such claims within a six-month period, those individuals become eligible to initiate legal proceedings to seek damages.
Peter Ticktin, a legal professional in Florida representing hundreds of January 6 defendants, informed ABC News that he has already submitted claims for approximately 200 clients. Following the announcement of the "Anti-Weaponization Fund," he anticipates filing claims for an additional 200 clients and expresses considerable optimism that the Trump administration will be more amenable to claims moving forward.
Supporters of Trump confront law enforcement and security personnel as individuals attempt to storm the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC. Brent Stirton/Getty Images
"While we are quite disappointed that the initiative was abandoned, we remain very hopeful at this moment," he stated.
Ticktin indicated that the federal government had largely disregarded the claims he previously submitted—"essentially no interaction whatsoever"—but hopes that legal representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C., under Jeanine Pirro’s leadership, will demonstrate greater cooperation in the future. Ticktin’s lawsuit demanding compensation of at least $1 million for each plaintiff was lodged last week in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.
The nine plaintiffs asserted that they faced unjust and punitive prosecution, alleging extensive misconduct by law enforcement and difficulties resulting from their charges. Seven of the plaintiffs were eventually convicted, and all received pardons last year.
Ticktin mentioned that the majority of his clients have been understanding regarding the Trump administration’s resolution to halt the "Anti-Weaponization Fund" and are optimistic about their claims progressing.
"Everyone simply comprehends that the timing was not ideal, and they accept it," he remarked.
He further noted that DOJ officials should have excluded defendants charged with assaulting police officers, as they were not victims of "weaponization."
"The primary challenge with the fund was the DOJ’s inability to offer a straightforward explanation," he observed.
Police in riot gear compel a group of U.S. President Donald Trump’s supporters to retreat after they stormed the Capitol building on January 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images, FILE
Conversely, others, such as David Johnston, a South Carolina attorney who was present at the Capitol on January 6, conveyed to ABC News that they are hopeful the Department of Justice might reconsider its decision to terminate the compensation fund.
"I suppose the crucial question is whether [Acting Attorney General Todd] Blanche holds the definitive authority," Johnston stated. "By designation and in legal standing, he does not, but he might be speaking on behalf of a superior, and that could be accurate. Time will tell."
When the fund was initially announced, Johnston publicly offered assistance on social media to other January 6 defendants seeking to apply for payouts.
"If the fund continues to exist, I am still available to aid anyone who wishes to submit an application," he said.
The attorney from South Carolina remarked that while alternative routes for seeking compensation from the government exist, the "enthusiasm" surrounding the fund stemmed from its potential to be "quicker" and "simpler."
"It could resemble applying for a government initiative or a government grant, and that’s why I believe the excitement was there," he explained.
Over 1,580 individuals have been criminally charged in federal court in relation to January 6, according to the Department of Justice. More than 1,000 have pleaded guilty. At least 221 individuals were found guilty in contested trials, and an additional 40 individuals were convicted following an agreed-upon set of facts presented to and accepted by the court.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com