Jan 6 rioters chase taxpayer cash as Trump’s slush fund dries up – DOJ’s looming role

Jan 6 rioters eye taxpayer cash amid dwindling Trump slush fund

The Justice Department is sitting on a vast reserve earmarked for government settlements, yet a fringe of Jan 6 rioters are lobbying for public money to fund legal defenses.

“They see an open tap,” a source told Reuters.

The Treasury’s war chest has swelled to ↑ $1.2B after recent judgments, but the administration’s “slush fund” for former president allies is effectively exhausted. Lawmakers warn that DOJ’s discretionary authority could become a conduit for these claims, funneling ↓ $150M of taxpayer dollars into contested cases. Bloomberg notes the political backlash is intensifying as the fiscal impact becomes clearer.