Trump DOJ mass-deletes info on Jan. 6 riot cases, including violent assaults on cops
TL;DR
The Trump administration has deleted information regarding prosecutions related to the January 6 Capitol attack, including cases involving assaults on police officers. This action is part of a broader effort to alter the narrative surrounding the violent events of that day.
Key points
- Trump administration deleted information on January 6 prosecutions
- Included cases of assaults on police officers
- Part of an effort to rewrite history of the Capitol attack
- Violent riot occurred on January 6, 2021
Rioters assault police protecting the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The Trump administration has systematically tried to rewrite the history of the violent attack, including by purging information from government websites. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images
Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images
The Trump administration has mass-deleted information about prosecutions tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, including cases of defendants who assaulted police officers. The removals mark the latest phase of Trump's effort to rewrite the history of the violent riot.
NPR Investigation: January 6, 2021
Trump's airbrushed version of Jan. 6 distorts history. See the evidence for yourself
Justice Department news releases that detailed guilty pleas, jury verdicts and prison sentences abruptly disappeared from government websites last week.
On social media, the Justice Department defended the move, saying, "We are proud to reverse the DOJ's weaponization under the Biden administration. We will do everything in our power to make whole those who were persecuted for political purposes. This includes stripping DOJ's website of partisan propaganda."
A review by NPR found that the deleted material included information about some of the most serious assaults on law enforcement that occurred that day. NPR maintains the most complete database and visual archive of the Jan. 6 prosecutions.
Investigations
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The purged news releases covered cases including:
- Daniel Rodriguez, who pleaded guilty to driving an electroshock device into the neck of former Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Officer Michael Fanone, and was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison.
- Albuquerque Head, who pleaded guilty to assaulting police and grabbing Fanone by the neck and pulling him into the mob of rioters while yelling, "I've got one!" Head was sentenced to more than seven years in prison.
- Thomas Webster, who was convicted by a jury of assaulting law enforcement with a metal flagpole, tackling a police officer to the ground and trying to remove the officer's gas mask. Webster was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
- Christopher Alberts, who was convicted by a jury of assaulting police with a wooden pallet and carrying a loaded handgun on Capitol grounds. Alberts was sentenced to seven years in prison.
- Peter Schwartz, who was convicted by a jury of assaulting police officers with pepper spray and throwing a metal chair at law enforcement. Schwartz was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
The previously-accessible news releases now lead to "Page not found" message.
The mass-deletion of government information about the riot, in which a mob of Trump supporters injured 140 police officers and threatened the lives of members of Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence, follows a broader effort by the Trump administration to whitewash the attack.
Investigations
A Jan. 6 rioter pardoned by Trump was sentenced to life in prison for child sex abuse
Trump granted clemency to every Jan. 6 defendant, including full pardons for all the most violent rioters and the erasure of seditious conspiracy convictions for members of extremist groups. The Justice Department fired dozens of prosecutors who worked on Jan. 6 cases, and hired a former riot defendant, who was seen on video urging the mob to "kill" police. The administration settled a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the estate of rioter Ashli Babbit, who was shot and killed while storming the Capitol, for nearly five million dollars. On the fifth anniversary of the riot, the White House created a website that distorts that day's events, describing the rioters as "patriots" and blaming police for causing "chaos". And just last week, the Administration announced a $1.8 billion "Anti-Weaponization Fund," indicating that even rioters who assaulted police may be eligible for payouts.
When speaking about the attack, Trump consistently describes his supporters as victims rather than perpetrators of violence.
"I pardoned people that were assaulted themselves. They were assaulted by our government," Trump said last year. "They didn't assault. They were assaulted."
Police officers who were violently assaulted on Jan. 6 have described suffering lifelong physical and psychological injuries.
"I have been sentenced to a lifetime of medical issues that include physical pain and mental and emotional distress," former Capitol Police Sgt. Federico Ruiz said in a victim impact statement filed in a Jan. 6 case. "There is not a day that goes by that pain, discomfort, and/or a mental health issue do not flare up to remind me of that day."
Brendan Ballou, a former federal prosecutor who worked on Jan. 6 cases, told NPR in a recent interview that the administration's effort to flip the story of the riot is part of a broader effort to attack democratic institutions.
NPR Investigation: January 6, 2021
Criminal records of Jan. 6 rioters pardoned by Trump include rape, domestic violence
"It's clear there is an ongoing fight to rewrite the history of Jan. 6, because these people know if they can successfully get people to forget about Jan. 6 — or worse yet, condone it — then they will be able to convince people to accept any attack on democracy," said Ballou.
Ballou currently represents two police officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, and are suing to prevent payouts from the "Anti-Weaponization Fund."
While the government continues to remove information on the attack, NPR's database and visual archive of the attack remains accessible. NPR's work has been used by prosecutors, defendants, academic researchers and the general public.
The searchable database covers all of the nearly 1,600 criminal cases, including charges, convictions, and sentencing outcomes. The archive also includes a timeline of the day's events, also makes accessible hundreds of videos from police bodycams, Capitol surveillance footage, and other sources. NPR is currently taking legal action to obtain additional video evidence held by the government, which has not been previously disclosed.
Q&A
What information has the Trump administration deleted about the January 6 Capitol attack?
The Trump administration has deleted information about prosecutions related to the January 6 attack, including cases of defendants who assaulted police officers.
Why is the Trump administration purging information about the January 6 riot?
The deletions are part of a systematic effort by the Trump administration to rewrite the history of the violent attack on the Capitol.
What were the consequences of the January 6 Capitol riot for law enforcement?
The riot resulted in violent assaults on police officers who were protecting the Capitol during the attack.
How has the narrative around the January 6 Capitol attack changed over time?
The narrative has shifted as the Trump administration attempts to downplay the violence and alter public perception of the events that occurred.
