Former US President Donald Trump can be held civilly liable for the attack by his supporters on the Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021, the federal courts have decided.
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That decision by a Washington appeals court was released on Friday, confirming information from the Washington Post after civil lawsuits were filed in 2021 by two police officers at the Capitol, home of Congress, and around 10 Democratic lawmakers.
This lengthy ruling by the federal courts can be appealed.
On January 6, 2021, Donald Trump, who was defeated by Democrat Joe Biden in the November 2020 election, delivered a fiery speech to his supporters in the American capital, calling on them to oppose the results of the elected congressmen “with all their might.” fights should certify this day.
AFP
Two weeks before President-elect Biden’s inauguration, on January 20, 2021, thousands of the Republican president’s supporters sowed chaos and violence at the Capitol.
Since then, more than 1,000 people have been arrested and about 350 of them have been charged with assaulting police officers or refusing to comply with their arrest. Some members of right-wing extremist militias have even been convicted of sedition.
According to the Washington Post, the civil plaintiffs against Donald Trump are citing a 150-year-old law that prohibits the use of force, threats and intimidation to prevent an elected official or official from carrying out their duties.
According to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals in Washington, the plaintiffs are entitled to seek restitution from the Republican billionaire for damages incurred on January 6, 2021.
Getty Images via AFP
The former tenant of the White House, who dreams of returning there in January 2025 but who faces several legal proceedings, has been assuring for two years that the election of Joe Biden was “rigged and stolen”, denounces a “witch hunt” and a ” “political deployment” of the judiciary against him.
Donald Trump, who was still President of the United States on January 6, 2021, emphasized his “immunity” as president at the time.
The court “rejects” and answers “no,” at least at this stage of the proceedings.
“When a sitting president elects to seek a second term, his re-election campaign is not an official presidential gesture,” the justices said.
In July, Mr. Trump revealed that special prosecutor Jack Smith had personally targeted him as part of his Jan. 6 criminal investigation.