1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

Support Senator Schiff's legislation to bar January 6 defendants from receiving federal payouts. People convicted of assaulting police officers should not be collecting millions from taxpayers, and right now nothing is stopping them from doing exactly that. Florida attorney Peter Ticktin has already filed around 400 Federal Tort Claims Act claims on behalf of January 6 defendants, and lawsuits are now flowing in since the six-month waiting period has expired. Kenneth Thomas was sentenced to nearly 5 years for assaulting officers and is seeking at least $1 million. Andrew Taake pleaded guilty to attacking officers with bear spray and a whip, got 6 years, and is seeking $2.5 million. These aren't people who were wrongly accused — many pled guilty, others were convicted and sentenced by judges after grand jury indictments. Legal experts warn this turns the judgment fund into a slush fund, with the Justice Department having unchecked discretion to settle claims. Co-sponsor and advance Senator Schiff's bill to amend the FTCA and close this loophole now. The anti-weaponization fund faced bipartisan rejection for exactly this reason. Don't let the same outcome happen through a different door.