{"id":2605962,"date":"2026-05-22T15:24:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T19:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senators-fight-harder-against-restitution-for-doj-weaponization-than-against-weaponization-itself\/"},"modified":"2026-05-22T15:26:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T19:26:40","slug":"senators-fight-harder-against-restitution-for-doj-weaponization-than-against-weaponization-itself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senators-fight-harder-against-restitution-for-doj-weaponization-than-against-weaponization-itself\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP Senators Fight Restitution Harder Than Weaponization"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsenators-fight-harder-against-restitution-for-doj-weaponization-than-against-weaponization-itself%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2605962&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Republican senators reportedly walked away from a proposal to create a $1.776 billion \u201cAnti-Weaponization Fund\u201d that would provide restitution to people the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/scotus-hears-oral-arguments-on-case-over-fbi-surveillance\/\" title=\"SCOTUS Hears Oral Arguments On Case Over FBI Surveillance\">federal government targeted<\/a> or mistreated-such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/more-pro-life-activists-targeted-by-fbi-report\/\" title=\"More Pro-Life Activists ... By FBI: Report\">pro-life activists targeted<\/a> for praying near abortion clinics or people allegedly over-prosecuted for participating in the Jan. 6 protest.  <\/p>\n<p>The fund would be open to a wide range of claimants, with awards persistent case-by-case, but some senators objected that it\u2019s inappropriate to compensate \u201cpolitical victims\u201d for government actions.The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-best-music-festival-in-america-is-in-spain\/\" title=\"Is America&#039;s Top Music Festival Located in... Spain?\">article contrasts<\/a> this dispute with an earlier senate vote in which republicans approved a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >separate \u201cvictim slush fund\u201d benefiting senators<\/a> themselves after learning they were spied on-criticizing the idea that ordinary Americans should be left out.  <\/p>\n<p>It also says Senate Republicans, led by Majority Leader John Thune, postponed further work and left for recess without passing major immigration-related funding, making a June 1 funding deadline unlikely to be met amid broader legislative and political turmoil.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-body body-md bdr-top-black pt-30\">\n<div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<figure class=\"article-thumbnail mb-30 mb-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-thumbnail-caption d-flex align-items-center justify-content-md-end label-xs mt-15\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-camera me-10\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Image Credit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TM3YXLUc_F8\">CBS News \/ YouTube<\/a>       <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-share text-center article-share-simple\">\n<h5 class=\"label-sm mb-10\">Share<\/h5>\n<ul class=\"article-share-list list-unstyled m-0 p-0\">\n<li class=\"article-share-facebook m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/05\/22\/senators-fight-harder-against-restitution-for-doj-weaponization-than-against-weaponization-itself\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Facebook<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-twitter m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Senators Fight Harder Against Restitution For DOJ Weaponization Than Against Weaponization Itself&#038;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/05\/22\/senators-fight-harder-against-restitution-for-doj-weaponization-than-against-weaponization-itself\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Twitter<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-truth-social m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/share?title=Senators Fight Harder Against Restitution For DOJ Weaponization Than Against Weaponization Itself&#038;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/05\/22\/senators-fight-harder-against-restitution-for-doj-weaponization-than-against-weaponization-itself\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" style=\"width:36px;height:auto;\" viewbox=\"0 0 92 93\"><path d=\"M69.444 55.716H56.772v10.37h12.672zM64.487 37.795V27.32H38.666v38.664h13.18v-28.19zM21.05 27.321h12.653v10.471H21.051z\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/><\/svg>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Truth Social<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-link m-0\">       <button data-clipboard-text=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/05\/22\/senators-fight-harder-against-restitution-for-doj-weaponization-than-against-weaponization-itself\/\" data-tooltip-content=\"Copied!\" class=\"clip tooltip\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-link-variant\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Copy Article Link<\/span>       <\/button>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\">       <a href=\"mailto:?subject=Senators Fight Harder Against Restitution For DOJ Weaponization Than Against Weaponization Itself&#038;body=%20https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/05\/22\/senators-fight-harder-against-restitution-for-doj-weaponization-than-against-weaponization-itself\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-email\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article via Email<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\"><span class=\"printfriendly pf-button  pf-alignleft\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &#038; Email\"><span id=\"printfriendly-text2\" class=\"pf-button-text\"><i class=\"mdi mdi-printer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>Republican Senators called it quits Thursday over a proposal to deliver restitution to the political victims of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cracked-foundation-how-the-fbi-raid-on-trumps-home-undermines-national-trust\/\" title=\"Cracked Foundation: How The FBI Raid On Trump\u2019s Home Undermines National Trust\">government weaponization<\/a>, instead giving themselves paid vacation after balking at the idea that Americans deserve compensation for being targeted and mistreated by the federal government.<\/p>\n<p>As many as 25 Republican senators reportedly <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/andrewdesiderio\/status\/2057508600084349229?s=46\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">balked<\/a> at the $1.776 billion <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/justice-department-announces-anti-weaponization-fund\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Anti-Weaponization Fund<\/a> designed to \u201cto provide a systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare\u201d during a briefing by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.<\/p>\n<div id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-2056586746\" class=\"d-flex justify-content-center fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2 fdrlst__b89e9-entity-placement\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1463670073398-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The fund would make restitution to people like pro-life Americans targeted for praying outside abortion facilities, individuals who were unfairly or excessively prosecuted for involvement in the Jan. 6 protest, and others targeted by the Biden administration. However, the fund is open to anyone who believes he was unfairly targeted by the government, and disbursement of monies will be decided on a case-by-case basis, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=07v_qqt1c20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according<\/a> to Vice President J.D. Vance, who was asked about the fund earlier this week.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe machinery of government should never be weaponized against any American, and it is this Department\u2019s intention to make right the wrongs that were previously done while ensuring this never happens again,\u201d\u00a0Blanche said of the fund in a press release.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the fact that Senate Republicans <a href=\"https:\/\/www.senate.gov\/legislative\/LIS\/roll_call_votes\/vote1191\/vote_119_1_00618.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">approved<\/a> a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/house-bill\/5371\/all-actions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">victim slush fund<\/a> for themselves (to the tune of $500,000 each) after they learned the Biden administration spied on them, some senators seem to think regular Americans \u2014 who have far fewer resources and legal protections than members of Congress \u2014 should be left out to dry.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it\u2019s stupid on stilts. \u2026 When you take money from me to give to a purpose that I vehemently disagree with, that\u2019s tyranny,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/theblaze\/status\/2057584039813406877?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who has become a vocal critic of President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Mitch McConnell reportedly <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/mychaelschnell\/status\/2057575780293496958?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a>, \u201cSo the nation\u2019s top law enforcement official is asking for a slush fund to pay people who assault cops? Utterly stupid, morally wrong \u2014 Take your pick.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As The Federalist CEO Sean Davis <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/seanmdav\/status\/2057591919249650115?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pointed out<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/seanmdav\/status\/2057608562927350181?s=46\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">both<\/a> Tillis and McConnell voted for the senators-only victim slush fund, which \u201cwasn\u2019t available to any normal Americans whose rights had been violated. \u2026 But now Tillis is mad that actual American citizens might receive restitution. What a clown.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As the senators escape Washington, D.C., until June, Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and the rest of the caucus are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/senate-gop-erupts-over-trump-doj-anti-weaponization-fund-punts-ice-border-patrol-funding\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">refusing to finish their work<\/a> to pass $72 billion in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). That makes Trump\u2019s June 1 deadline for the funding essentially unreachable.<\/p>\n<p>The decision to leave town comes after legislative failures and other turmoil in the Senate, such as Thune\u2019s impotent attempt to get the SAVE America Act passed and Trump\u2019s endorsements of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (in his primary bid to unseat incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas) and Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La. (in her bid to unseat incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La).<\/p>\n<p>In doing so Trump brushed off the Senate\u2019s tradition of protecting incumbents, and the upper chamber\u2019s choice to leave the immigration bill on the table before it is passed is <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/julie_kelly2\/status\/2057529988467904875?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">believed<\/a> by some to be retribution for not supporting the incumbents.<\/p>\n<p>An anonymous Senate Republican reportedly <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/bennyjohnson\/status\/2057633601244573786?s=46\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a>, \u201cThe Uniparty GOP senators deliberately wet the bed as punishment for Trump endorsing against Cassidy and Cornyn. It\u2019s totally embarrassing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">      Breccan F. Thies is the White House correspondent for The Federalist. He is a co-recipient of the 2025 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. As an investigative journalist, he previously covered education and culture issues for the Washington Examiner and Breitbart News. He holds a degree from the University of Virginia and is a 2022 Claremont Institute Publius Fellow. You can follow him on X: @BreccanFThies.<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-30 bdr-top-bold-black\">\n<div class=\"row g-0 align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6\">\n<div class=\"article-author-profile d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-md-start\">\n<div class=\"article-author-details\">\n<div class=\"label-md\">Breccan F. Thies<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author-twitter label-sm d-flex align-items-center mt-10\">             <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter me-5\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>             <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Visit on Twitter<\/span>            <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BreccanFThies\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">@BreccanFThies<\/a>           <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 d-flex justify-content-center justify-content-md-end mt-15 mt-md-0\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/author\/breccan-thies\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">More Articles<\/a>     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-tags bdr-top-black mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-15 pt-md-45\">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center mb-0 mx-n10 p-0\">\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/anti-weaponization-fund\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Anti-Weaponization Fund<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/bill-cassidy\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Bill Cassidy<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Donald Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/gop-senators\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">GOP senators<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/john-cornyn\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">John Cornyn<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/john-thune\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">John Thune<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/mitch-mcconnell\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Mitch McConnell<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/republican-senators\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">republican senators<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/senate\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Senate<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/thom-tillis\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Thom Tillis<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/weaponization\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Weaponization<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Republican senators quit over anti-weaponization restitution proposal, vacation after balking Americans\u2019 compensation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":179,"featured_media":2605963,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-22-140745.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[45413,37324,23732,3740],"class_list":["post-2605962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-gop-senators","tag-political-conflict","tag-restitution","tag-senate"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Screenshot-2026-05-22-140745.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2605962","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/179"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2605962"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2605962\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2605966,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2605962\/revisions\/2605966"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2605963"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2605962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2605962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2605962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}