PAUL GORDON
There is much to dislike about the settlement the U.S. Department of Justice made with Donald Trump to get rid of his lawsuit against the government.
But the most despicable part is that the perpetrators of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection may actually get money from that settlement — a settlement of $1.8 billion that we the taxpayers will be forced to pay.
Remember the violent people beating the police officer’s head between two doors, causing injuries that left him disabled? Remember the rioters spraying officers with bear repellent? The others breaking windows to get in while members of Congress had to hide in chambers for fear of their safety?
How about the grotesque rioter who broke into the office of the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and defiled it and put his feet on her desk?
Five people died during or as a result of that insurrection. It left a stain on our country that may never be erased.
These and many other rioters were convicted in courts of law for their crimes and they were sentenced to prison.
That was justice.
Then Trump, himself deemed accountable for the insurrection by Congress before he was elected president again in 2024, pardoned them upon his election to a second term.
He pardoned them. He said they were victims of politically motivated prosecutions.
He pardoned them. He called them victims. And now, through this settlement his administration calls an “Anti-Weaponization Fund” the Capitol criminals may actually be paid what amounts to reparations because they were “wronged.”
It’s bad enough Trump sued the same government he’s leading for exposing his income tax information as well as that of his family members and supporters. It’s worse that the government he leads has now settled that suit, not only for money but also being forever barred from investigating his finances.
Oh, if the Anti-Weaponization Fund committee finds in their favor those deemed to have been wronged also will receive formal apologies.
That settlement is not justice.
Some police officers injured on Jan. 6 are suing to stop the convicted rioters from receiving any money from the fund. A victory would not restore justice but would prevent total travesty.
If they don’t succeed, that stain on America will be permanent. How shameful.
It never should have come to this.