Democrats like to talk about the deadly insurrection of January 6, 2021, and even President Joe Biden repeatedly referred to the multiple law enforcement officials who lost their lives that day. The truth is that no police officers died on January 6 — Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died of natural causes the day after — but it was deadly. Veteran Ashli Babbitt was shot in the throat and killed by Lieutenant Mike Byrd, who claims he "saved countless lives" by shooting her in the throat. She wasn't even armed. The whole incident was pretty lucrative for Byrd, who was offered a $36,000 retention bonus a few months later.
Rolling Stone reports that the Trump administration has agreed to a wrongful death settlement of $5 million.
The Trump administration has reportedly agreed to pay $5 million to the family of Ashli Babbitt, a Jan. 6 rioter shot and killed by Capitol Police as she attempted to break into the House Speaker’s lobby.
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) May 20, 2025
Story: https://t.co/6g6Kjyh3Xy pic.twitter.com/ZQtDu5HNcP
Nikki McCann Ramirez writes:
The Trump administration has reportedly agreed to pay $5 million to the family of Ashli Babbitt — a Jan. 6 rioter shot and killed by Capitol Police as she attempted to break into the House Speaker’s lobby — in order to settle a wrongful death lawsuit.
According to sources who spoke to The Washington Post, the Trump administration settled the $30 million wrongful death lawsuit filed last year by the right-wing activist group Judicial Watch on behalf of Babbitt’s husband. While the settlement was reached earlier this month, the final amount was previously undisclosed. According to the Post, about a third of the settlement will go to attorneys fees and compensation for the involved conservative groups, including Judicial Watch.
Rep. Maxwell Frost caught wind of the story and is not happy about it:
Ashli Babbitt was a domestic terrorist who attempted to overthrow our government via a violent insurrection at our nation’s Capitol. The administration agreeing to pay her family $5 million of taxpayer money is disgraceful. https://t.co/JFyFZlpkJD
— Maxwell Alejandro Frost (@MaxwellFrostFL) May 20, 2025
You're pathetic.
— Albert Latham (@albert1776) May 20, 2025
How does one overthrow the government unarmed?
— Rabid (@Rabid8264) May 20, 2025
Nonsense.
— Charles X Proxy™ (@Charlemagne0814) May 20, 2025
I don't agree with a $5 million payout, but she was unarmed and shot to death by a Capitol police officer ... important context.
— Kevin - Classical Liberal 🇺🇸 (@gov_fails) May 20, 2025
It was a bad shoot.
— Seenitall (@Theresa32894609) May 20, 2025
Was Byrd even aiming at Babbitt, or was he just firing into the crowd through a broken window? Here's video:
Is this Cold Blooded Murder? pic.twitter.com/m8NVqsxGLO
— Johnny Midnight ⚡️ (@its_The_Dr) May 20, 2025
George Floyd was an ex-convict with an encyclopedia long rap sheet. His family was paid millions.
— Man with a plan (@jerelyt) May 20, 2025
So embarrassed that you live in Florida. Might not be able to make you move, but, I will spend lots of time trying to make you unemployed!
— Dale Sullivan (@DaleSulliv94781) May 20, 2025
We don't believe deadly force was necessary, as none of the protesters was armed, including Babbitt. We're not sure how she was going to overthrow the government herself and had to be put down.
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