Full Breakdown
DOJ Removes Jan. 6 Prosecution Releases, Vacates Convictions and Launches $1.8 B “Anti-Weaponization” Fund
5/24/2026, 11:45:26 AM
DOJ Erases Jan. 6 Prosecution Records from Official Website
The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed that it has deleted news releases documenting criminal cases tied to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. The agency described the removed material as “partisan propaganda.” Deletions include releases about seditious-conspiracy convictions of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers members and a Texas defendant who pleaded guilty to assault and faced separate state charges of soliciting a minor.
Background: Jan. 6 Investigations and Trump’s Clemency
The Jan. 6 attack prompted the largest criminal investigation in DOJ history, resulting in charges against nearly 1,600 individuals, more than 1,500 of whom were formally charged. Over 100 law-enforcement officers were injured and five died. After President Donald Trump returned to office in Jan. 2025, he issued pardons, commuted sentences, and directed the dismissal of many of those cases. Dozens of prosecutors involved in the investigations were subsequently fired.
Key Actors & Groups
- Todd Blanche – Acting Attorney General overseeing the DOJ’s actions.
- Proud Boys and Oath Keepers – Far-right extremist groups whose members faced seditious-conspiracy convictions.
- DOJ Rapid Response – Official X account that issued statements about the deletions.
- Trump allies – Individuals seeking compensation from the newly created fund.
Data & Statistics
- Charges filed: ~1,600 defendants.
- Injured officers: >100; deaths: 5.
- Fund size: Reported as $1.776 billion in some releases and $1.8 billion in others.
- Removed releases: Hundreds of press releases covering charges, convictions and sentencing outcomes.
Legal Moves: Vacating Convictions and Dismissing Cases
In an unopposed motion, the DOJ asked a federal appeals court to vacate seditious-conspiracy convictions of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers members; the court granted the request. The department subsequently filed motions to dismiss the remaining cases against those group members.
Official Statements & Responses
The DOJ’s Rapid Response account posted on X: “We are proud to reverse the DOJ’s weaponization under the Biden administration. We will do everything in our power to make whole those who were persecuted for political purposes.” The same account replied to a journalist’s observation with, “Nothing ‘quiet’ about it.” Acting Attorney General Blanche has not publicly ruled on whether convicted rioters will be eligible for the compensation fund.
Criticism & Opposition
Democratic leaders, including Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), introduced legislation to block the fund, calling it “absurd and offensive.” Republican officials such as Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) also condemned the fund, labeling it “bad policy” and a “payout pot for punks.” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) described the fund as a “slush fund.” Lawsuits have been filed by two injured Capitol police officers, a former DOJ prosecutor, a law professor, and the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, challenging the fund’s legality and purpose.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are proud to reverse the DOJ’s weaponization under the Biden administration. We will do everything in our power to make whole those who were persecuted for political purposes. This includes stripping DOJ’s website of partisan propaganda.” — DOJ Rapid Response, X
- “nothing ‘quiet’ about it.” — DOJ Rapid Response, X
- “notion of the federal government doling out compensation to rioters” — Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
- “payout pot for punks,” — Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.
- “We’re reimbursing those people for their legal fees and for their costs, and for anybody involved,” — President Donald Trump, press briefing
What’s Next
Pending litigation will determine the fund’s legality, while congressional bills aim to block or reshape it. The DOJ’s ongoing motions to dismiss remaining Jan. 6 cases suggest further erosion of the public record of the prosecutions. Continued scrutiny from both parties and the courts will shape how the Jan. 6 narrative is preserved or altered.
