WASHINGTON:A Democratic congressman, in a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, accused former President Donald Trump, his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and two right-wing groups of conspiring to incite last month's deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The civil lawsuit accuses them of violating the Ku Klux Klan Act, an 1871 law passed to crack down on the white supremacist organization. It is the latest legal attempt to find Trump responsible for the violence on Jan. 6, after he spent months falsely claiming his election defeat in November was the result of widespread fraud.
It also names as defendants the Proud Boys, a far-right organization, and the anti-government militia known as the "Oath Keepers."
"The insurrection was the result of a carefully orchestrated plan by Trump, Giuliani and extremist groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, all of whom shared a common goal of employing intimidation, harassment and threats to stop the certification of the Electoral College," according to a press release announcing the lawsuit.
The U.S. Senate on Saturday acquitted Trump of inciting the Jan. 6 riot, when 57 senators, including seven Republicans, voted to convict, short of the 67 votes needed.
Representative Bennie Thompson, a Democrat who chairs the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee, is the named plaintiff on the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Washington.
It seeks compensatory and punitive damages without citing a dollar figure, as well as an award for attorneys fees. In addition, it asks a federal judge to issue an order barring Trump and his co-defendants from future violations of the law.
Thompson says he heard threats and a gunshot during the attack on the Capitol and had to hide from the mob.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and attorneys from the law firm Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC are handling the litigation.
Giuliani did not respond to a request comment.
Jason Miller, an adviser to Trump, said Giuliani "is not currently representing President Trump in any legal matters" and he dismissed the allegations in the lawsuit, citing Trump's acquittal in the Senate.
"President Trump did not plan, produce or organize the Jan. 6th rally on the Ellipse," Miller said in a statement, referring to a speech the Republican former president made that day at a rally near the White House.
Indiana University law professor Gerard Magliocca said Trump will likely be dismissed as a defendant from the lawsuit because of a U.S. Supreme Court decision from 1982 that protects presidents from lawsuits over official acts.
"I don't see how the tort suit can proceed" against Trump, Magliocca said, adding that in his view, Trump's speech was within the scope of his official duties.
Critics have said that Trump and Giuliani helped incite the rioters during the Jan. 6 "Save America" rally, where both repeated false claims that the election had been stolen.
Giuliani told the crowd "let's have trial by combat... I'll be darned if they're going to take our free and fair vote."
Trump, who then took the stage, urged people to march to the Capitol. More than 200 people have been charged with federal offences in the assault on Congress, which left five dead.
The lawsuit also discusses actions Trump took prior to the riots, as evidence he helped to incite them.
After officials in states such as Georgia, Arizona and Michigan warned of possible threats of violence, for instance, the lawsuit alleges that Trump "endorsed rather than discouraged" those threats.
The FBI and federal prosecutors have been increasingly focusing on whether members of far-right extremist groups conspired to impede Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's election victory.
At least 18 people associated with the Proud Boys have been charged so far for their alleged role during the riots. Several of the alleged Proud Boy associates have been accused of conspiring to impede Congress or block police from protecting the Capitol.
Three alleged associates of the Oath Keepers have also been indicted on charges they conspired to storm the U.S. Capitol as far back as November. One of them - Thomas Caldwell - pleaded not guilty last week.
Reuters has reported that the Justice Department is also considering whether to charge members of the groups under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO, normally used against organized crime. A decision on that has not been made.
Other members of Congress, including Democratic Representatives Hank Johnson and Bonnie Watson Coleman, are expected to join the lawsuit.
Reuters
Wed Feb 17 2021
Donald Trump stands with former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani before their meeting at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, U.S. Filepic/REUTERS
Che'gubard direman dua hari
Che'gubard atau nama sebenarnya Badrul Hisham Shaharin ditahan reman dua hari bagi membantu siasatan berkaitan hantaran mengenai pengoperasian kasino di Forest City.
Buletin AWANI Khas: Mesyuarat khas WEF di Arab Saudi, PM Anwar & Pemimpin dunia
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim akan menyampaikan ucapan dalam Sidang Plenari Pembukaan Mesyuarat Khas World Economic Forum (WEF) di Arab Saudi. Ikuti analisis menyeluruh bersama Penganalisis Ekonomi, Fithra Faisal Hastiadi; Ketua Pengarang Astro AWANI, @AshwadIsmail; dan Pengarang Niaga AWANI, @NajibAroff #BuletinAWANIKhas
Akta Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan (Pindaan) 2022 berkuat kuasa 1 Jun
Akta Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan (Pindaan) 2022 akan berkuat kuasa pada 1 Jun ini.
AWANI Ringkas: BERSATU serah tujuh notis kosongkan kerusi
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
[KOLUMNIS] PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Pertandingan untuk tawan atau tahan
PRK DUN KKB menyaksikan pertembungan empat penjuru antara calon PH, PN, PRK, PRM dan calon Bebas.
Sultan Selangor ingatkan jemaah haji persiapkan diri sebaiknya
Sultan Selangor menasihatkan bakal jemaah haji untuk mempersiapkan diri sebaik-baiknya, bagi melaksanakan Rukun Islam kelima.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Calon PN harap tiada lagi serangan peribadi
Khairul Azhari Saut berharap tiada lagi isu peribadi yang akan dijadikan 'peluru' untuk menyerangnya sepanjang kempen.
Kelantan: 70 peratus kemalangan maut babit penunggang, pembonceng motosikal
70 peratus kes kemalangan maut yang dicatat berlaku dari 1 hingga 26 April di Kelantan, membabitkan penunggang dan pembonceng motosikal.
[TERKINI] WEF | Pembangunan dunia yang tidak seimbang, Apa Solusi?
Mesyuarat Khas Forum Ekonomi Dunia (WEF) di Arab Saudi merungkai masalah ekonomi dan ketidakseimbangan pembangunan yang sedang melanda dunia. Menteri MITI, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz dan Menteri Kewangan Arab Saudi, Mohammed Al-Jadaan berada sepentas merungkai masalah dunia yang memberi impak kepada semua negara.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Calon PH, PN bertembung ketika kempen
Dua calon yang bersaing bagi PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu hari ini bertembung buat kali pertama sejak hari penamaan calon semalam.
Biden rancang untuk berdebat dengan Trump
Sebelum ini, Biden tidak komited untuk berdebat dengan lawannya, Trump.
Lelaki bertindak bakar diri di luar mahkamah New York
Max Azzarello yang berasal dari St. Augustine, Florida, dilaporkan telah diselamatkan dan berada dalam keadaan kritikal.
7 juri dipilih dalam bicara kes wang sogok yang dihadapi Trump
Tujuh juri dipilih dalam perbicaraan kes wang sogok Donald Trump di New York, perbicaraan jenayah pertama terhadap bekas presiden Amerika Syarikat.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Perbicaraan skandal Donald Trump - bintang porno bermula
Donald Trump menjadi bekas Presiden Amerika Syarikat pertama yang menghadapi perbicaraan kes jenayah.
Bicara kes bayaran tutup mulut yang dihadapi Trump bermula dengan pemilihan juri
Donald Trump akan menjadi bekas presiden pertama dalam sejarah Amerika Syarikat (AS) yang dibicarakan atas tuduhan jenayah.
Trump gagal tangguh, perbicaraan tetap berlangsung 15 April ini
Ini merupakan kali pertama bekas Presiden AS dibicarakan melibatkan bayaran menutup mulut kepada seorang bintang filem lucah.
Biden menang pemilihan peringkat awal di Dakota Utara
Dalam pemilihan peringkat awal di Dakota Utara, terdapat 13 perwakilan ditawarkan dan kebanyakan pengundian dilakukan melalui undi pos.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Perbicaraan Donald Trump bermula 15 April
Ini merupakan kali pertama bekas Presiden AS dibicarakan melibatkan bayaran menutup mulut kepada seorang bintang filem lucah.