The Ministry of Justice in a message to the High Court: You will allow civil lawsuits against Trump following the attack on Capitol Hill
As part of the appeal process filed by the former president following a ruling that stated that civil lawsuits could be filed against him due to his involvement in inciting violence in the events of January 6, the Ministry of Justice pleaded with the court not to change the decision
Civil lawsuits can be filed against former President Donald Trump for damages caused during the violent assault on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021, the Justice Department claimed last week.
Trump in front of his supporters on January 6, shortly before they broke into the Congress building (Photo: Getty Images)
This determination comes on the background of a request filed by the Federal Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., and it actually rejects Trump’s claims outright, according to which he is granted immunity from civil lawsuits due to his being the President of the United States at the time of the attack on Congress.
However, it is important to emphasize that the Ministry of Justice specifically stated that “it has not yet been determined whether Trump should bear responsibility – both criminally and civilly – for the attack.” Instead, in a document written by the Ministry of Justice, it was explained “it must be established that the former president does not receive comprehensive protection for all his activities during his time in the White House.”
As you may recall, members of Congress and Capitol Hill police officers filed many lawsuits against Trump following the violent attack. Some of the lawsuits claim that Trump’s statements outside the White House on the morning of January 6 constitute incitement to violence.
“Although we are not in a position to determine whether the claims in the lawsuit are true, presidential immunity does not apply to crimes of incitement to violence,” the Ministry of Justice wrote.
Trump supporters fire tear gas at the Capitol Police (Photo: Getty Images)
The Ministry of Justice, of course, did not deny that the term “presidential immunity” exists, and even emphasized that it “entitles to extensive protections. Questions surrounding this issue must be approached with caution and extreme sensitivity due to the demands of the position.”
As you may recall, already about a year ago the court in Washington ruled that Trump does not receive immunity from civil lawsuits: “[טראמפ] Invited his supporters to Washington after many months in which he said that corrupt politicians are guilty of stealing elections from them. He repeated this narrative outside the White House on January 6, ordering supporters to march toward Capitol Hill — the place where those politicians work, and where they gathered that day to confirm Trump’s election loss.”
Trump filed an appeal following this ruling, claiming that there is a legal precedent according to which he is granted blanket immunity: “It is extremely critical that the court know how to separate and not harm the independence of the executive branch.”
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