Federal judge allows Capitol Police officers’ lawsuit against Trump for Jan 6 riot to proceed
- Mehta cited an opinion he wrote in 2022 that arguments raised by Trump and other defendants were “in large part duplicative of those the court already considered and addressed.”
A federal judge on Thursday refused to throw out a civil lawsuit against former President Donald Trump brought by Capitol Police officers for injuries they sustained during the riot on January 6, 2021, and is allowing the case to proceed.
US District Judge Amit Mehta rejected the claim by Trump that presidential immunity protected him from liability of actions as part of his official duties.
According to Bloomberg, Mehta cited an opinion he wrote in 2022 that arguments raised by Trump and other defendants were “in large part duplicative of those the court already considered and addressed.”
The DC federal court judge’s previous decision rejected claims of immunity Trump raised to challenge similar lawsuits against him regarding the riot. In the previous decision, Mehta ruled Trump’s speech at a rally before the riot went beyond protections shielding presidents from civil liability while in office and provided by the First Amendment.
Mehta’s opinion on Thursday also ruled that the Capitol Police officers’ lawsuit could also move forward against several others including members of the Oath Keepers, Three Percenters, and the Proud Boys.
140 police officers were assaulted and over $2 million in property damage was caused during the riot.
However, the judge dismissed the police officers’ case against media personality Ali Alexander and political consultant Roger Stone ruling that their conduct was protected by the First Amendment.
Source: thepostmillennial.com/federal-judge-allows-capitol-police-officers-lawsuit-against-trump-for-jan-6-riot-to-proceed