Acting United States Attorney General Todd Blanche has officially cancelled a controversial proposal that could have provided financial compensation to individuals prosecuted in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, removing a major obstacle to his confirmation as the country’s permanent attorney general.
The decision comes after resistance from two Republican senators who withheld their support over concerns surrounding the proposed compensation package and its legal implications.
In a statement posted on X on Sunday, Blanche disclosed that he had spent recent weeks engaging members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and other lawmakers to resolve outstanding concerns linked to his nomination.
Accompanying the post was a signed directive declaring that the proposed fund would not be established.
The order stated unequivocally that no compensation programme would exist.
The abandoned initiative, valued at approximately US$1.8 billion, had been unveiled earlier this year as part of a legal settlement stemming from President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over the disclosure of his tax records.
Under the original arrangement, individuals aligned with President Trump who claimed they had faced politically driven investigations or prosecutions could have sought financial restitution.
Another contentious aspect of the agreement involved restrictions on future IRS audits of President Trump, members of his family and associated business entities.
Lawmakers objected to the broad scope of that provision, insisting that any protection should apply only to those directly involved in the lawsuit.
Blanche later clarified in an unsigned memorandum that any limitation on IRS audits would cover only the named plaintiffs, President Trump, his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, together with the Trump Organization.
The proposal drew sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers and several Republicans, who argued it could ultimately benefit people convicted over the Capitol attack, including offenders found guilty of assaulting law enforcement officers.
Amid mounting political pressure, Blanche abandoned the initiative.
A federal judge had also temporarily halted the arrangement, citing possible ethical and legal concerns.
President Trump, however, delivered mixed messages in recent days regarding both the compensation proposal and Blanche’s nomination.
Although he declared on Friday that the fund had been abandoned, he later warned he could revive the idea if Republican senators failed to move forward with Blanche’s confirmation.
President Trump also indicated he had considered withdrawing Blanche’s nomination because of delays in the Senate approval process.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to meet on Tuesday, where members may vote on Blanche’s confirmation.
Despite Blanche’s earlier assurances that the proposal had been shelved, two Republican senators, John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, continued to withhold their backing until further guarantees were provided.
A spokesperson for Cornyn confirmed that the senator had reached an understanding with the Department of Justice regarding the compensation proposal.
Tillis has yet to issue a fresh statement, although he previously criticised any attempt to revive the initiative, describing it as an inappropriate plan to create a financial reward for those involved in the Capitol unrest.
Even so, he maintained that Blanche remains qualified to serve as the nation’s top law enforcement official.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong