Justice Department Faces Lawsuit from Proud Boys over January 6 Investigations
Take a Peek at the Proud Boys' Claim Against the Feds
Here's the lowdown on the lawsuit filed by five high-profile members of the Proud Boys, including former leader Enrique Tarrio, against the U.S. government.
The Proud Boys gang, who saw their sentences commuted or pardoned by President Trump after being convicted of various charges related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, are now taking the Justice Department to task for what they call a "political persecution."
In the suit, the ex-leaders, including Joseph Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola, claim the investigation into their actions was merely a tool to "punish and oppress political allies of President Trump, by any and all means necessary, legal or illegal."
The gang's members are demanding $100 million in restitution for what they deem to be an egregious abuse of the legal system and the Constitution. They seek a jury trial to make their point.
Four of the five, including Tarrio (sentenced to the harshest 22 years for plotting the attack), were found guilty of sedition conspiracy and faced lengthy sentences before Trump's pardon.
In the past, Trump's administration granted clemency to many individuals convicted of felonies like property destruction and police assault on January 6. His reelection also signaled a rethink on investigations into the Capitol attack, effectively marking an end to the largest ever FBI investigation on the topic.
The Justice Department recently reached a settlement with the family of Ashli Babbitt, who was killed by an officer on January 6. The officer's actions are still a subject of intense debate.
CNN has reached out to the Justice Department for comment on the Proud Boys' lawsuit.
Political allies of Trump have long alleged that the hundreds of cases brought against January 6 participants amounted to political persecution by the Justice Department under Joe Biden.
The lawsuit filed on Friday serves as a possible turning point, potentially forcing the administration to either defend its prosecution of the Proud Boys or reach a settlement.
Pezzola, one of the plaintiffs, is the rioter who broke open the Capitol window, allowing many others to enter. Prosecutors argued that the other four were influential in leading and coordinating elements of the attack.
"Now that the Plaintiffs are vindicated, free, and able to exercise their rights as American citizens, they bring this action against their tormentors for violations of their Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment Rights," the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit asserts that the prosecutors targeted the five men despite knowing they never organized or coordinated the events of January 6, invented new legal theories, stacked the jury, and breached attorney-client communications.
- The Proud Boys, who were pardoned by President Trump after being convicted for their roles in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, have filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department, accusing them of political persecution.
- In their lawsuit, the ex-leaders of the Proud Boys, including Enrique Tarrio, Joseph Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola, claim that the investigation into their actions was aiming to punish political allies of President Trump.
- The gang's members are seeking $100 million in restitution, alleging an egregious abuse of the legal system and the Constitution, and demanding a jury trial to make their point.
- The lawsuit comes at a time when political allies of Trump have long alleged that the hundreds of cases brought against January 6 participants were political persecution by the Justice Department under Joe Biden. The lawsuit serves as a possible turning point, potentially forcing the administration to either defend its prosecution of the Proud Boys or reach a settlement.
