The Department of Justice has acknowledged removing news releases about criminal cases related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack from its website, labeling the information about the prosecutions as 'partisan propaganda'.
Purge of Information
The purge of news releases documenting criminal charges, convictions, and sentencings is the latest step by the Trump administration to dramatically rewrite the history of the assault on the US Capitol. On that day, hundreds of supporters of Donald Trump stormed the building in an effort to halt the congressional certification of his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.
Trump, on his first day back in office in January 2025, pardoned, commuted the prison sentences, or vowed to dismiss the cases of all of the more than 1,500 people charged with crimes during the Capitol assault. This includes those convicted of attacking officers with makeshift weapons such as flagpoles, a hockey stick, and a crutch.
New Fund and Controversy
On Monday, the Justice Department announced the creation of a $1.776 billion fund meant to compensate Trump allies who feel they were unjustly investigated and prosecuted. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has not ruled out that rioters convicted of violence will be eligible for payouts, prompting bipartisan anger in Congress.
After a journalist observed on the social media platform X that the Justice Department was 'quietly' removing news releases related to the January 6 attack, the department responded through its 'rapid response' account, stating there was 'nothing quiet about it'.
'We are proud to reverse the [Justice Department's] weaponization under the Biden administration. We will do everything in our power to make whole those who were persecuted for political purposes,' the post said. 'This includes stripping [the Justice Department's] website of partisan propaganda.'
Removed Content
Among the releases removed from the site were those concerning seditious conspiracy cases against members of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, far-right extremist groups. The Justice Department, in an unopposed motion last month, asked a federal appeals court to vacate those seditious conspiracy convictions, a request that was granted on Thursday. The department on Friday moved to dismiss the cases against the group members.
