Pence: Jan. 6 Rioters Who Assaulted Police Should 'Never Get a Dime'
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- Mike Pence said on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" that Jan. 6 rioters who assaulted police officers, vandalized government property, or sought to disrupt electoral certification 'never should have been pardoned and they should never get a dime.'
- Pence drew a line within the pardon pool, saying he had 'no problem with the president pardoning people who got caught up in that day' but distinguishing violent actors as undeserving of clemency or compensation.
- President Trump issued mass pardons to Jan. 6 defendants on the first day of his second term, including individuals convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers, citing the rioters' treatment by the prosecution and justice system as justification.
- The Trump administration abandoned plans for a $1.776 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund that was part of a settlement between Trump and the IRS in a $10 billion lawsuit over the leak of his tax returns, after bipartisan criticism that the money could flow to Jan. 6 rioters.
- Two injured law enforcement officers from the Capitol riot sued to block payouts from the anti-weaponization fund, arguing it could settle claims brought by any Jan. 6 rioters who committed acts of violence.
- Pence has previously criticized efforts to 'rewrite' the history of Jan. 6, saying he was 'offended' by a White House anniversary timeline that he said 'literally blamed Capitol Hill police for the riot that took place that day.'
Why it matters: Pence's distinction — supporting pardons for nonviolent participants while opposing them for those who assaulted officers — is notable given that he was personally targeted by the mob, with rioters chanting to hang him and Trump reportedly reacting approvingly. The abandoned $1.776 billion 'anti-weaponization' fund removes a potential financial pipeline to pardoned rioters, but the legal fight from injured officers shows the compensation question is not settled.
