Donald Trump Sued by 2 Capitol Police Officers Over January Riot
Former president Donald Trump was sued Tuesday by Capitol police officers James Blassingame and Sidney Hemby, who say he “inflamed, encouraged, incited, directed, and aided and abetted” the rioters who stormed the Capitol Jan. 6.
Each is seeking at least $75,000 in damages and both say they were hurt in the riot, which ultimately left five dead, including Capitol police Brian D. Sicknick. Two other officers died by suicide in the days after the insurrection, which was carried out by Trump supporters during a joint Congressional session held to certify President Joe Biden’s 2020 election win.
Blassingame has been with the force for 17 years while Hemby has been for 11. The suit says Hemby was “crushed” and “sprayed with chemicals” during the riot and Blassingame sustained head and back injuries from being slammed into a column.
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Filed in a Washington, D.C. district court Tuesday, the suit identifies not only on social media posts by Trump to make the case that he incited and failed to stop the riot, but posts from his supporters, as well.
A representative for Trump did not immediately return a request for comment, but last Thursday, Trump told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham that the riot was “zero threat right from the start.”
“Look, they went in and they shouldn’t have done it. Some of them went in and they’re hugging and kissing the police and the guards. They had great relationships,” Trump said.
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