Republicans Inserted a Sinister Provision into the Shutdown Package

"Tom Williams//Getty Images Having secured Democratic capitulation on a deal fat with empty promises, Senate Republican leader John Thune made sure that the deal also addressed one of the president's most important issueswhitewashing the insurrection of January 6, 2021. And, needless to say, he did so with the tacit approval of seven Democratic senators. It is, as they say, a bipartisan bill."

"From Politico: In an interview Monday evening, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)who claims he was one of the lawmakers to have his data subpoenaed as part of former special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into President Donald Trump's efforts to subvert the 2020 electionsaid Thune was responsible for the inclusion of provision. Leader Thune inserted that in the bill to provide real teeth to the prohibition on the Department of Justice targeting senators, Cruz said."

"A person close with direct knowledge of the legislation's negotiations, granted anonymity to speak candidly, confirmed Thune oversaw the inclusion of the provision. It was tucked into the legislative branch spending measure for fiscal year 2026, part of a three-bill minibus of appropriations measures that Senators were set to vote on Monday night alongside a continuing resolution to fund the government through Jan. 30."

Senate Republican leader John Thune ensured the legislative branch spending bill included a provision limiting the Department of Justice from targeting senators. The provision followed revelations that special counsel Jack Smith collected phone records for several Senate Republicans during the investigation into efforts to subvert the 2020 election. Seven Democratic senators tacitly approved the inclusion, producing a bipartisan measure. The provision was placed in the fiscal year 2026 legislative branch spending measure within a three-bill appropriations minibus alongside a continuing resolution to fund the government through Jan. 30. Critics say the change whitewashes January 6, 2021, and shields potential investigations.

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