Capitol rioters clamor for payouts from Trump's new...

Capitol rioters are clamor for payouts from Trump's new fund, aiming to monetize their Jan 6 involvement as a settlement process advances. David Johnston, a licensed attorney in South Carolina, is offering to help fellow J6 participants apply for awards in exchange for a 10 percent fee, capped at five thousand dollars per claim. The program centers on a nearly 1.8 billion settlement designed to compensate those who believe they were politically persecuted, though the fund's formation has been temporarily frozen by a judge. Some applicants pled guilty and were pardoned by Trump, while others hope to recoup costs through the prospective fund. Reaction among participants is divided. Critics argue the fund would whitewash the events and reward criminal behavior, while supporters see it as restitution. One New Hampshire veteran who rejected a pardon said compensation would be inappropriate, whereas a Florida man who posed with Pelosi's podium and a Texas claimant celebrated as payback for tyranny. Prosecutors describe a New Jersey rioter as a Nazi sympathizer who hailed the fund, and Oregon resident Pamela Hemphill has drafted a written claim, illustrating how the fund has become a controversial focal point even as its formation remains paused.