Justice Department official deletes post on compensation for alleged targeting

A Justice Department official posted a reply on social media late Tuesday suggesting that people who claim they were politically targeted could seek compensation through the Federal Tort Claims Act, then deleted the message Wednesday morning. The post came less than a day after another senior Justice Department official told the House Appropriations Committee that the administration would not proceed with a proposed $1.776 billion compensation fund.

That fund had been part of a settlement resolving lawsuits against the Internal Revenue Service and two civil claims tied to prior investigations.

Background on the proposed fund The plan would have created a five-member commission to review claims from individuals who argued they faced political targeting. Critics labeled it a potential "slush fund" that could direct payments to some of the roughly 1,500 people pardoned after the January 6 events.

Bipartisan opposition grew quickly. Several Republican senators said they would withhold support for a roughly $72 billion budget reconciliation package funding immigration enforcement unless the administration abandoned the fund.

Reactions and next steps Senate Democrats announced plans to offer amendments that would permanently bar any future version of the fund. A federal judge last week issued a temporary order blocking implementation and set a hearing for June 12. Existing law already allows the Justice Department to settle claims through the Treasury Department's Judgment Fund.

The deleted post is expected to draw renewed questions about whether other compensation routes remain under consideration despite the earlier public statements.