The Trump administration has agreed to pay $5 million to the family of Ashli Babbitt, the MAGA supporter killed on Jan. 6, 2021 while trying to force entry into the congressional area. The settlement ends a civil wrongful death lawsuit filed by the woman’s husband with the support of the conservative organization Judicial Watch.
The decision, harshly criticized by the head of the Capitol Police, is a sharp reversal of the Justice Department’s 2021 verdict, which had found the officers’ firing unjustified. According to press reports, about a third of the sum will go to lawyers and conservative groups involved in the case.
Back in office, President Donald Trump continued to support the participants in the Jan. 6 assault, calling them martyrs of his political movement. He also pardoned more than 1,600 people convicted of crimes related to the attack, including individuals accused of violence.
Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger expressed his dissent in an interview, “I am extremely disappointed and do not approve of the Justice Department’s decision to settle this case. After a thorough investigation, it was determined in 2021 that this was a justified shooting. This settlement sends a chilling message to law enforcement officers across the country, especially those in institutional protection roles.”
Meanwhile, Trump reiterated his support for Babbitt: “She was a really good person, a great supporter of MAGA and Trump.”
