January 6 Convicts Sue US Government for Millions

Dozens of individuals charged or convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riots have filed lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in damages from the US government. In the latest action filed Friday in Washington, 12 former defendants, including convicted seditious conspirator Roberto Minuta, are each seeking at least $1 million. The claimants allege they were victims of "malicious prosecution" and suffered emotional distress.

These legal challenges follow a sweeping clemency order issued by Donald Trump on his first day in office, which benefited over 1,500 people. The lawsuits represent a shift toward seeking financial restitution for those previously targeted by federal prosecutors.

While the United States Department of Justice previously considered establishing a $1.8 billion fund for victims of government "weaponization," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche abandoned the plan after facing pushback from Republican members of Congress. To date, no administrative claims related to January 6 have been publicly approved, and none of the lawsuits have reached a final resolution.