WASHINGTON, D.C. – D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today issued the following statement on the two-year anniversary of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol Building:
“Today marks two years since a violent mob attacked the U.S. Capitol, seeking to destroy a sacred American tradition: the peaceful transition of power. For District residents, this day is deeply personal. We endured a direct assault on the city we call home – on our communities, our neighbors, and our loved ones. The trauma of that attack continues to impact us, every day and in many ways.
No one bore the brunt of that violent attack more than courageous law enforcement officers, including officers of the Metropolitan Police Department and Capitol Police Department, who – while vastly outnumbered – bravely fought to defend our democracy, our Congress, and our city. More than 1,000 officers were deployed to defend the Capitol, and dozens suffered severe injuries that required extensive medical treatment. Tragically, several officers traumatized that day have since died by suicide. For countless more, the emotional and physical scars will last a lifetime.
For all of these reasons, the D.C. Office of the Attorney General filed the first civil suit by a government entity against the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, as well as more than 40 violent individuals, for planning, promoting, and participating in the insurrection. My office is committed to using every tool at our disposal to seek justice and compensation for the harm done to the District, especially our brave MPD officers. We commend the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C. for effectively pursuing criminal charges, guilty pleas, and convictions against the insurrectionists, bolstering our civil lawsuit to hold the organizations and individuals financially accountable for the pain, suffering, and monetary damage they caused.
We know that the January 6 attack was not a spontaneous event – it was the result of a calculated, orchestrated, well-funded conspiracy committed by wrongdoers both inside and outside of Washington, D.C. The recently released report from the January 6th House Select Committee underscores this fact, highlighting numerous communications demonstrating extensive advance planning and coordination. Accountability for the insurrection cannot stop with those who were physically present at the Capitol on January 6 but must also extend to the masterminds who plotted, schemed, and financed the violent attempt to overthrow our government.
We will follow the evidence wherever it leads and bring those responsible for the insurrection to justice under the law.”
A copy and summary of OAG’s legal complaint are available here and here, respectively.