Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche returns to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to testify before a House Appropriations Committee panel overseeing the Justice Department. While the hearing is formally scheduled to address the department’s budget, lawmakers are expected to focus questions on a nearly $1.8 billion compensation fund proposed by the Trump administration. The fund is described as a mechanism to resolve claims from individuals who argue the government wrongfully investigated and prosecuted them.
Multiple outlets report that the administration has signaled it is pausing or reconsidering plans for the fund amid political and legal scrutiny. The scrutiny includes concerns that the program could potentially include people connected to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, drawing criticism from opponents. Separately, reporting indicates President Trump is reevaluating whether to proceed with the fund while facing backlash and legal setbacks related to the administration’s broader efforts connected to a lawsuit involving the IRS.
The Justice Department also states it will comply with a Virginia court order that temporarily blocks aspects of the effort, as the hearing proceeds.
