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Democrats Seek to Block Payouts to Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioters

Are Jan. 6 participants patriots deserving support after having their lives unfairly destroyed, or violent rioters who should receive nothing and are lucky to have been pardoned?

Published 2 days ago·Updated 1 day ago

Democrats Seek to Block Payouts to Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioters

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Above: A person attends a rally on the fifth anniversary of the Jan. 6 riots in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2026. Image credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Democratic narrative

Rioters who beat police officers, smashed Capitol windows and forced lawmakers to flee deserve zero taxpayer dollars after their violent assault on democracy. The government spent over $1 billion protecting members of Congress from ongoing threats while prosecuting insurrectionists with strong evidence. Now pardoned criminals want rewards for crimes that left officers with PTSD and permanent injuries. They should feel lucky enough that they're not still in prison.

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Republican narrative

Jan. 6 patriots have faced financial devastation after years of wrongful imprisonment and isolation. These heroes, who were set up as criminals in a politically motivated cover-up, have endured relentless hardship. They now deserve compensation for lost jobs, homes and savings while the government spent millions prosecuting them for exercising their First Amendment rights to petition an obviously questionable 2020 election.

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