The United States Department of Justice has confirmed that it removed hundreds of press releases linked to individuals charged over the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot from its official website.
Responding to criticism on Friday, the DOJ’s Rapid Response account on X defended the action, insisting the move was intentional and part of efforts to reverse what it described as political bias under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
“Nothing ‘quiet’ about it,” the DOJ Rapid Response X account said.
“We are proud to reverse the DOJ’s weaponization under the Biden administration,” the post continued. “We will do everything in our power to make whole those who were persecuted for political purposes. This includes stripping DOJ’s website of partisan propaganda.”
A review reportedly found that most of the Justice Department’s statements relating to January 6 defendants had disappeared from the website by Friday evening.
The development marks another attempt by President Donald Trump’s administration to reshape public perception of the Capitol riot and portray some participants as victims of political targeting.
Trump had earlier granted mass pardons to many individuals connected to the riot shortly after returning to office. Following that decision, several Justice Department officials and FBI agents involved in the investigations reportedly lost their jobs.
The controversy has also intensified after the Justice Department announced a proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund meant to compensate individuals who allegedly suffered political persecution or “lawfare.”
The proposal has sparked criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, especially after acting Attorney General Todd Blanche did not rule out the possibility of January 6 rioters benefiting from the fund.
Senator Dick Durbin condemned the proposal, describing “the notion of the federal government doling out compensation to rioters” as “absurd and offensive.”
Republican Senator Thom Tillis also criticised the initiative, calling it a “payout pot for punks.”
Several lawsuits have now been filed against the fund. A former January 6 prosecutor and a law professor recently challenged the proposal in court, arguing that it unfairly favours individuals aligned with Republican interests.
A Washington-based watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, also sued, describing the initiative as “a jaw-dropping act of presidential corruption.”
Meanwhile, two police officers who defended the Capitol during the riot filed a separate legal action, claiming the fund would “directly finance the violent operations of rioters, paramilitaries, and their supporters.”
The lawsuits emerged after former Justice Department official Ed Martin reportedly predicted that millions of dollars could eventually be paid to individuals charged over their involvement in the Capitol attack.
