On Thursday, a federal judge rejected former President Donald Trump’s request to pause all civil lawsuits related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol breach. This decision comes as his criminal case for alleged interference in the 2020 election continues.
Democratic lawmakers and police officers have filed lawsuits seeking compensation for the harm they claim to have endured during the January 6 Capitol breach. The breach, which aimed to halt the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory by Congress, prompted these legal actions.
The memorandum opinion and order stated that President Trump argued there is significant similarity between the accusations made by the plaintiffs and those put forth by special counsel Jack Smith in his criminal case.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta acknowledged that President Trump’s assertion is “true in a sense,” given that “both cases center on the former President’s actions in the lead up to and on January 6, 2021.”
“But Defendant overstates the significance of that factual overlap in the present posture of these matters,” the judge stated.
Judge Mehta, appointed to the bench by former President Barack Obama, emphasized the importance of promptly resolving both the civil lawsuits and the criminal case, noting the public’s interest