Florida Senator Ashley Moody Breaks with Trump on Jan. 6 Fund Amendment
Florida’s Ashley Moody joined GOP senators in voting to block payments from a controversial federal fund to January 6 rioters who assaulted police.
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — Florida Senator Ashley Moody broke ranks with the Trump administration last week, voting to block payments from a controversial $1.8 billion federal fund to January 6 rioters who assaulted police officers.
The Republican senator, who has been a consistent supporter of President Trump since Governor Ron DeSantis appointed her to the Senate in January 2025, joined seven other GOP senators in supporting a Democratic amendment during budget negotiations Friday morning.
Amendment Falls Short Despite Bipartisan Support
The amendment, sponsored by Vermont Democrat Chris Coons, aimed to ban payments from the “anti-weaponization” fund to January 6 rioters convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers. The measure received 54 votes, falling six votes short of the 60 needed to break a filibuster.
“If the administration won’t rule out potentially multimillion-dollar payments to those who assaulted police on these grounds, we must,” Coons said on the Senate floor. “I urge my colleagues to take up and pass this amendment alongside me and ensure that taxpayer funds won’t be so badly misused in this way.”
Florida’s other senator, Rick Scott, voted against the amendment.
Republicans Split on Controversial Fund
Among the Republicans who joined Moody in supporting the amendment were Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, who recently lost his bid for re-election after Trump endorsed his opponent, also voted for the measure.
The vote took place during debate on a series of amendments before the Senate ultimately approved a $70 billion budget reconciliation package to fund immigration enforcement through 2029. That final measure passed 52-47.
The $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund has drawn criticism from both Democratic and Republican senators in recent weeks, though Moody had not previously criticized the program.
Administration Signals Reluctance to Commit
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche has indicated the fund will not move forward, but told a House committee last week he would not commit to putting that statement in writing. “I’m not committing to doing anything in writing,” Blanche said during testimony.
The vote highlights growing tensions within the Republican Party over how to handle cases related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riots. Donald Trump granted clemency to numerous January 6 participants after taking office in January.
Moody’s decision to support the amendment represents a rare instance of the Florida senator breaking with the Trump administration since her appointment to fill the Senate seat earlier this year.
