Those hoping that Donald Trump will be held criminally liable for his efforts following the 2020 defeat have reason to be disappointed: Special Prosecutor Jack Smith and his team have concluded their compelling, evidence-driven crime cases against the president-elect with little choice.
That said, there is another road that has not yet been closed. Politico reported:
Donald Trump isn’t off the hook until January 6. Although the criminal cases against him are all but dead, Trump will likely face eight civil lawsuits — against members of Congress and injured police officers — well into his second term. It could be the last form of legal redress Trump faces for his role in inciting the riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Given the extensive attention to the criminal charges the president-elect has faced, it is easy to forget the civil lawsuits related to January 6 that he faced — and continues to face.
For those who might benefit from a refresher, in the wake of the insurrectionist violence, police officers were among those who filed lawsuits against Trump who were injured in the insurrectionary violence. In fact, several cases have been filed:
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In March 2021, two Capitol Police officers, James Blassingame and Sidney Hemby, sued Trump, claiming he was liable for the injuries they sustained during the riot.
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In August 2021, another seven police officers who were attacked and beaten during the Capitol riot sued the former president.
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In January 2022, three more police officers — including two who helped evacuate lawmakers — sued Trump, seeking damages for their physical and emotional injuries.
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In January 2023, the longtime partner of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died after the January 6 riot, filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Trump.
The New York Times reported that the lawsuits “are all currently consolidated in the presence of Judge Amit P. Mehta, who has handled several criminal cases related to the riot.” Prosecutors have accused the incoming Republican president of charges including “conspiracy to violate civil rights, incitement to insurrection, assault, battery, disorderly conduct and infliction of emotional distress.”
Certainly, even if Trump were to lose the civil lawsuits, there would be no criminal consequences, but these could prove politically embarrassing and financially costly. Indeed, let us not forget that he has suffered several major legal setbacks and defeats in recent years – the E. Jean Carroll case, the Trump Organization fraud case, the demise of his fraudulent charity, the demise of his fraudulent ‘university’, et al. – and they were all civil cases.
Moreover, while the Justice Department has a policy banning federal criminal charges against a sitting president, the U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled that sitting presidents can file civil lawsuits while in office, and Trump’s lawyers’ claims that he is in these cases is immune have already appeared. rejected by two courts.
Watch this space.
This message updates our related previous reporting.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
