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Fight erupts on Senate floor over provision letting senators reap millions from suing DOJ
The Hill ^ | 11/20/25 4:56 PM ET | Alexander Bolton

Posted on 11/20/2025 2:35:36 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum

Democratic senators clashed with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) on the Senate floor Thursday when the GOP leader proposed a resolution to clarify that any damages won by Republican senators from lawsuits against the Department of Justice (DOJ) would go to the U.S. Treasury and not to the senators’ bank accounts.

Responding to complaints that empowering Republican senators to sue the Justice Department for millions of dollars is inappropriate or unseemly, Thune on Thursday proposed a compromise.

He suggested that colleagues approve a resolution by unanimous consent to clarify that any financial compensation awarded to senators would go to the U.S. Treasury, so that lawmakers would not be seen as enriching themselves.

“This would clarify that any damages awarded under this law would be forfeited to the United States Treasury. So, no United States senator could benefit,” Thune, who this week has steadfastly defended the provision that’s divided lawmakers, said.

Democrats immediately shot down the proposal, declaring it didn’t go far enough to address the appearance that the recently passed law had created a major conflict of interest.

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) said he wanted to make a “statutory change” to ensure that senators would not benefit financially and argued that the Senate should work with the House to address the “outrageous damage provisions.” He then objected to Thune’s proposal.

A provision tucked into the government funding bill passed last week empowers GOP senators surveilled by the Biden-era Justice Department to sue the federal government for hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in damages. It is retroactive to 2022, meaning it applies to senators whose phone records were sought by former special counsel Jack Smith.

(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections
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1 posted on 11/20/2025 2:35:36 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Senator Charles Sumner was unavailable for comment.

2 posted on 11/20/2025 2:41:38 PM PST by ClearCase_guy (Democrats seek power through cheating and assassination. They are sociopaths. They just want power.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Why shouldn’t Senators who were spied on not be able to sue?


3 posted on 11/20/2025 2:43:40 PM PST by packrat35 (“When discourse ends, violence begins.” – Charlie Kirk, and they killed him anyway)
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To: ClearCase_guy

He deserved that beatdown...lol.


4 posted on 11/20/2025 2:44:20 PM PST by SharpenedEdge (Stockpile. Prepare. Arm. Train. A Storm is coming.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

So, the Treasury gets the money from .... the Treasury aka US Taxpayer?

All of these Senators are beyond disgusting.

Pay AMERICAN citizens who’ve been wrongly spied upon, by DOJ, first.

Forget these grifters ... on BOTH sides.


5 posted on 11/20/2025 2:47:13 PM PST by Jane Long (Jesus is Lord!)
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To: packrat35

Sue the corporations They are taking taxpayer money.


6 posted on 11/20/2025 2:48:47 PM PST by griswold3 (Truth, Beauty and Goodness)
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To: ClearCase_guy

Yes, THAT was a figjt.


7 posted on 11/20/2025 2:50:50 PM PST by cowboyusa ( YESHUA IS KING OF AMERICA AND HE WILL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE HIM!)
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To: SharpenedEdge

MA ans SC . The 2 Syates most responsible for the 1st Civil War.


8 posted on 11/20/2025 2:51:51 PM PST by cowboyusa ( YESHUA IS KING OF AMERICA AND HE WILL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE HIM!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I would much rather see those who signed off on the search warrants (whether prosecutor or judge), went without a warrant, or complied with an illegal request (I’m looking at you Verizon) get some hard jail time that the senators profit from this.


9 posted on 11/20/2025 2:52:25 PM PST by KarlInOhio (I pray that the sleeping giant has finally awakened and been filled with a terrible resolve.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

That’s not a fight.

THIS is a fight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTmgwX8taQQ


10 posted on 11/20/2025 2:55:10 PM PST by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: E. Pluribus Unum; thinden; AFB-XYZ

Campaign war chests are on life-support now that the USAID grift has been exposed and ended.

It wasn’t just Democrats.


11 posted on 11/20/2025 3:05:07 PM PST by Cletus.D.Yokel (The Democrats' official policy is now, “Hate, Violence and Murder". Change my mind.)
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To: packrat35

Let them sue the individuals who engaged in the illegal acts, i.e. the prosecutors and judges.


12 posted on 11/20/2025 3:08:00 PM PST by TheDon (Remember the J6 political prisoners! Remember Ashli Babbitt!)
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel

Campaign war chests are on life-support now that the USAID grift has been exposed and ended.

It wasn’t just Democrats.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

HAR! True.


13 posted on 11/20/2025 3:14:50 PM PST by thinden (Buckle Up!)
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To: packrat35

Because they didn’t care until it happened to them.


14 posted on 11/20/2025 3:27:43 PM PST by roving
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To: packrat35

Thousands of people were spied on the same way. Families of January 6 participants, and the participants. President and candidate Trump and his acquaintances and cabinet members.

“Why shouldn’t Senators who were spied on not be able to sue?“

___________________

This has nothing to do with being able to sue, but rather who pays for it. They all can sue.

Congress was made aware of this in 2022. They didn’t care, until it was exposed that they too were spied on. Then all of a sudden it became important.

That’s when they carved out their own special treatment where the taxpayer would cover Congress’ legal fees to bring suit.

What about the legal fees for all the other U.S. citizens they spied on? Why don’t they get the same privileges?

This is typical DC corruption.


15 posted on 11/20/2025 3:42:18 PM PST by jacknhoo (Luke 12:51; Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Was it a fight or an argument????


16 posted on 11/20/2025 3:48:29 PM PST by JBW1949 (I'm really PC.....Patriotically Correct)
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To: JBW1949
Was it a fight or an argument????

Maybe more like a spat.


17 posted on 11/20/2025 3:52:21 PM PST by Jane Long (Jesus is Lord!)
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To: TheDon
Let them sue the individuals who engaged in the illegal acts, i.e. the prosecutors and judges.

You read my thoughts completely. Individuals, not institutions.

18 posted on 11/20/2025 3:54:18 PM PST by philman_36 (Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty and supped with infamy. Benjamin Franklin)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Thune is a total idiot.


19 posted on 11/20/2025 3:56:20 PM PST by Fledermaus ("It turns out all we really needed was a new President!")
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To: Jane Long

If there WOULD be a fight, I’d like to see Jim Jordan punch Jerry Nadler in the nose...LOL


20 posted on 11/20/2025 4:06:25 PM PST by JBW1949 (I'm really PC.....Patriotically Correct)
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