Capitol police may sue Trump—Justice Department

(RT) ⸻ The US Department of Justice has argued that former president Donald Trump is not immune from civil action over his alleged incitement of the January 6, 2021 riot on Capitol Hill. The US Court of Appeals in Washington, DC is considering whether multiple private lawsuits against Trump have the legal standing to go to court. The plaintiffs argue that Trump's speech on the day of the riot – in which he urged his supporters to march to the Capitol and "fight like hell" to protest his election loss – incited the fracas that followed. Trump previously argued that he was acting in his capacity as president when he addressed his supporters that day, and that he therefore enjoyed immunity from prosecution over the speech. However, a district court judge ruled last year that the speech fell outside the scope of his presidential duties, prompting Trump to bring the case to the appeals court. Among the lawmakers suing Trump are Reps. Eric Swalwell, Pramila Jayapal, and Maxine Waters, all of whom are Democrats and vocally opposed Trump long before the riot. In addition to the civil lawsuits, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel last year to investigate whether Trump could be prosecuted for "efforts to interfere with the lawful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election."