A week after President Trump pardoned those charged in the January 6th disturbance at the U.S. Capitol, his administration is facing a new question, as noted in a report from the Washington Examiner. Will President Trump’s appointees continue the Biden administration’s legal efforts to deny justice to Ashley Babbitt’s family by fighting their $30 million wrongful death lawsuit against the federal government? Babbitt, an Air Force veteran from San Diego, was unarmed when she was shot and killed by then U.S. Capitol Police Lieutenant Michael Byrd. Ashley Babbitt remains the only official homicide victim from January 6th.

Early last year, Judicial Watch filed a $30 million wrongful death lawsuit against the federal government on behalf of Ashley’s family and estate. In the lawsuit, Judicial Watch argues that Byrd was inadequately trained and had a record of disciplinary problems. Those disciplinary problems have largely been uncovered through Judicial Watch litigation. This includes a 2019 incident where Byrd left his loaded gun in the bathroom of the Capitol Visitor Center. And in a 2004 incident, Byrd discharged a service weapon at a fleeing vehicle. Byrd was caught providing false information to local police about the incident.

As the Washington Examiner reports, after Trump’s inauguration last week, he pardoned the rioters, including those who were with Babbitt when she was shot and killed after being pushed into the speaker’s lobby behind the house floor. That appears to put the Justice Department in a pickle. How does it turn away from its hundreds of cases and convictions but move forward in defending the shooting of Babbitt? Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said he can’t imagine that President Trump would want to defend this for one minute. Both the White House and the Justice Department have yet to publicly comment on the lawsuit.

U.S. District Court Judge Anna Reyes scheduled a trial date of July 20, 2026. [tr:trw].

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