NEW: Deal To Finish Shutdown Lets GOP Senators Sue Biden’s DOJ For J6
Legislation moving through Congress that aims to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history contains a clause that could hand several Republican senators large payouts tied to the Biden administration’s investigation into the Jan. 6 Capitol breach.
The bill, which passed the Senate on Monday night, includes language that would allow eight Republican senators to sue the Justice Department for alleged privacy violations after their phone records were subpoenaed during Special Counsel Jack Smith’s 2023 investigation. The provision retroactively makes it illegal, in most cases, for federal investigators to obtain a senator’s phone data without notifying them—and allows those affected to seek up to $500,000 per violation, plus legal fees and costs according to JP.
Under the legislation, the Justice Department could choose to settle the lawsuits rather than contest them in court.
“We will not rest until justice is served and those who were involved in this weaponization of government are held accountable,” Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said in a statement. Blackburn, along with Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ron Johnson (R-WI), and Cynthia Lummis (R_WY) —all of whom had their phone data obtained during the probe voted in favor of the bill.
Democrats blasted the provision, accusing Republicans of sneaking in what they described as a taxpayer-funded windfall. “Not a cent for health care, but Republicans wrote in a corrupt cash bonus of at least $500k each,” Democrat Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) wrote on social media.
The disputed records were tied to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Although Trump was charged in the case, it never went to trial. The proceedings were delayed by multiple legal challenges, and Smith ultimately dropped the prosecution after Trump’s 2024 victory, citing a longstanding Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president. In a final report, Smith said the evidence collected would have been enough to convict Trump had the case gone to trial.
The funding bill’s passage marks the first real movement in Congress since the shutdown began on October 1. The standoff originated over Democratic efforts to extend health insurance subsidies established under the Inflation Reduction Act, which Republicans opposed, calling for a “clean” funding bill with no additional spending measures. After weeks of deadlock, both sides faced mounting public pressure as the shutdown dragged into its 42nd day.
Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed or are working without pay. Programs like SNAP have faced interruptions, while national parks, museums, and government offices across the country remain closed. The disruption has also rippled through airports, slowing air travel and forcing small businesses dependent on federal contracts to cut back.
The Senate’s newly approved deal would reopen the government through the end of January 2026. It now moves to the House, where Democrats are already voicing strong opposition to the Jan. 6-related clause and the absence of their health care provisions. Republicans, on the other hand, argue the priority should be to end the shutdown and restore basic operations, with spending debates left for future negotiations.
Economists estimate the shutdown has cost the U.S. economy billions each week in lost productivity and delayed payments. While some of those losses can be recovered, experts warn that many small businesses and government-dependent services will face lasting financial damage.
As the shutdown stretches into its seventh week, the latest legislation represents both progress and renewed controversy—a potential end to the government’s longest closure, coupled with a partisan battle over whether justice or opportunism is driving the fine print.