Overview

• Lawyer Mark McCloskey said he met senior Justice Department officials and proposed a voluntary nonjudicial panel to award damages to pardoned rioters, naming Jeanine Pirro as his preferred overseer.
• The department has not publicly endorsed the idea, leaving its prospects unclear after last week’s outreach.
• McCloskey acknowledged obstacles including the Federal Tort Claims Act’s two-year limit for claims dating back nearly five years, even as allies such as DOJ special attorney Ed Martin signal support.
• Justice Department lawyers recently opposed a separate lawsuit by five Proud Boys who alleged political persecution over their Jan. 6 prosecutions.
• A nearly $5 million May settlement over Ashli Babbitt’s death has encouraged compensation advocates, while figures including Enrique Tarrio publicly demand payouts and the firing of officials involved in the cases.