Former President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the treatment of jailed Capitol incursion participants is “a disgrace.”
Trump phoned into a rally outside of a Washington, D.C., jail where Jan. 6 defendants are being held, according to Mediaite.
The former president called Micki Witthoeft, the mother of slain incursion participant Ashli Babbitt. Witthoeft put her phone up to a microphone to share the call with the protesters.
“It’s a terrible thing that has happened to a lot of people that are being treated very, very unfairly,” Trump said.
“You look at all of the riots that took place – for a long period of time, not just 2020 – the last long period of time, and almost nothing has happened to those people,” Trump said by phone.
A lone protester in a rooster mask attempted to interrupt from behind. pic.twitter.com/ms2Nsjy5DU
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) September 14, 2022
“We love Ashli, and it was so horrible what happened to her. That man [who] shot Ashli is a disgrace and then he goes on television and it looks like he was actually bragging about it,” Trump said.
Trump then spoke about the treatment of Jan. 6 participants who have been jailed.
“I want to tell everybody that’s listening, we’re with you. We’re working with a lot of different people on this,” Trump said. “We can’t let this happen. This has never happened before.”
Do you think the cop who killed Babbitt should be held responsible?
Yes: 98% (101 Votes)
No: 2% (2 Votes)
Trump said the incursion defendants are being subjected to different treatment than others arrested in various riots and protests.
“You look at all of the riots that took place for the last long period of time, not just in 2020, the last long period of time, and almost nothing has happened to those people,” he said. “What they’re doing here is a disgrace. It’s a disgrace to our country and it just cannot be allowed to happen and it cannot be allowed to continue.”
Without citing specifics, Trump said, “Everybody’s working on it, and I very much appreciate, Micki, your asking me to just speak to everybody.”
Trump has said he is “financially supporting” some Jan. 6 defendants and that he would “very strongly” and “very favorably” consider pardons for those charged if he is elected president in 2024.
Trump concluded by saying, “God bless everybody. We are working very hard.”
Witthoeft thanked Trump for calling, adding, “I know the men inside appreciate you as I do.”
In a later interview, she said the call was important.
“It means a lot to me to know he’s supporting the J6ers and knows the corruption on the other side and understands that this is part of our path going forward is to take care of these men,” Witthoeft said.
I spoke to Ashli Babbitt’s mom just after she got off the phone with Trump outside DC jail.
“It means a lot to me to know he’s supporting the J6’ers,” she said. “Don’t forget that unarmed American citizens were murdered that day. They were beaten by the Capitol police that day.” pic.twitter.com/EHjFP1j1ev
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) September 14, 2022
“Don’t forget that unarmed American citizens were murdered that day,” she said.
Babbitt, 35, was shot and killed by Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd, who was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
Her death was revisited by The Epoch Times in a documentary called “The Real Story of Jan. 6.”
The documentary includes commentary from Stan Kephart, whose credentials include 42 years of law enforcement service and more than 350 court appearances as an expert witness on police conduct.
“My conclusion … based on what I saw and observed in the video clips is that Ashli Babbitt was murdered,” Kephart said.
“She was shot and killed under color of authority by an officer who violated not only the law but his oath and committed an arrestable offense.”
