Senators Scramble to Disown the Sweetheart Deal They Gave Themselves
Some lawmakers want to repeal the sneaky $500,000 payout.
When the Senate reached a deal to reopen the government last week, it included a special provision enabling several Republican senators to sue the federal government and collect $500,000 in taxpayer money for being targeted in Jack Smith’s investigation of the 2020 election subversion plot.
The provision went far beyond the typical redress afforded to American citizens, and it was limited to senators, not House members.
The most common reaction has been a mix of befuddlement and outrage. Many in government and the media have been wondering who actually was responsible for putting the carveout in the final bill. Right wing podcasters have demanded it be reversed. Even some of the senators who are poised to reap the rewards say they aren’t clear why it was put in the legislation. That includes Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), whose phone metadata was obtained by Smith’s team.
“I wasn’t asked about it. I wasn’t told about it. I’m one of the eight people to whom it applies, and I knew nothing about it till I read it in the bill,” Hawley told me. “So, not a great way to do business.”