Donald Trump may potentially be liable for his role in Capitol riot: US federal judge

In a judgment describing how the former United States President Donald Trump may potentially be liable for provoking the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, a federal judge said civil claims attempting to hold him accountable for the insurgency can proceed ahead in court, CNN reported. Judge Amit Mehta has dismissed the former president's claims that he is eligible to have a wide immunity from various lawsuits accusing him of the unrest. Trump stated that as he was in office at the time, he can get the ultimate immunity, New York Post reported.  

In a 112-page written opinion, Mehta, who is a US District Court judge in Washington, DC, said, "To deny a President immunity from civil damages is no small step. The court well understands the gravity of its decision. But the alleged facts of this case are without precedent, and the court believes that its decision is consistent with the purposes behind such immunity,” as per New York Post. 

Federal judge's statement on the capitol riot provoked by Trump

Since Donald Trump's "Stop the Steal" speech prior to the capitol riot in the city was not an official presidential act, Mehta decided that Trump might be sued for aiding to provoke the Capitol riot. In the opinion, Mehta wrote, “the President’s actions here do not relate to his duties of faithfully executing the laws, conducting foreign affairs, commanding the armed forces, or managing the Executive Branch.” Rather he claimed that Trump was completely focused on his efforts to win re-election to a second term, New York Post reported. He further added that as these are unofficial activities, “so the separation-of-powers concerns that justify the President’s broad immunity are not present here.”   

Mehta ruled on the lawsuits filed by US Capitol Police officers as well as Democratic House members, alleging that he should be held accountable for the riot's damage. Furthermore, if the judgment stands, Trump and his associates may face depositions and discovery requests.

 Three different lawsuits against Donald Trump for encouraging the insurgency

In addition to this, in three different lawsuits, Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell of California, two Capitol Police officers, as well as a group of House Democrats led by Congressman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi have all charged the former president for encouraging the insurgency on January 6 at the Capitol. 

According to The Hill, the civil lawsuits allege that Trump has violated the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act, which forbids conspiracies against the federal government or the deprivation of people's rights. Further, Mehta dropped the charges against Rudy Giuliani, one of the defendants accused of being a part of the plot by the plaintiffs. He also whittled down Trump's assertions but sustained the charge made under the Ku Klux Klan Act. 

Trump's January 6 speech to his followers outside the Capitol, in which he reiterated his unfounded accusations of a rigged election and encouraged his supporters to "fight like hell" against Congress confirming President Biden's victory, was thoroughly investigated by the judge in his judgment on Friday. 

(Image: AP)