The U.S. Capitol Police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt was formally exonerated today. Essentially the officer, ‘he who must not be named’ was found not liable for his actions that day that culminated in Ashli’s death. According to the internal investigation, her shooting was lawful.

An internal investigation has cleared a U.S. Capitol Police officer of any wrongdoing in the fatal shooting of Ashli Babbitt during the siege of the Capitol on Jan. 6, the department announced Monday.

~Snip

The probe by the U.S. Capitol Police exonerated the officer for his use of force. The department said in a memo outlining the investigation that the officer’s actions were within department policy, which allows deadly force only when an officer reasonably believes they are protecting themselves or others from serious physical harm.

A few months ago, we were informed that the DOJ wouldn’t press charges. 

Federal prosecutors will not charge a police officer who shot and killed a woman as she climbed through the broken part of a door during the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

Authorities had considered for months whether criminal charges were appropriate for the Capitol Police officer who fatally shot Ashli Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air Force veteran from San Diego. The department’s decision, though expected, officially closes out the investigation.

Which told any rational thinker that the fix was in and the officer would skate. Well, with the news earlier this week and the formal announcement by the Capitol Police, it seems the fix was really in. 

The officer who shot Ashli Babbitt needs to be held to account, as others have been, yet he won’t be. 

Ashli Babbitt wasn’t armed when she was trying to crawl through that broken window. Do I believe she and those she was with made an exceptionally stupid decision to try and force themselves into the House Chamber? Yes. Do I believe that she should’ve been shot? NO.

Again, she was unarmed while trying to climb through that window. Did anyone in the Chamber yell for her to stop? Did anyone in that room standing RIGHT THERE try and push her back OUT of the window? Nope. Did the officer who shot her give her any kind of warning? Highly doubtful.

The U.S. Capitol Police made their pronouncement this morning and, in reading the full statement, unless the lawsuit filed by Ashli’s family brings new info to light, the Capitol Police are done with this investigation and we are all supposed to fold our tents and go away. 

Here’s the problem with this. There are multiple people in jail right now for their actions or supposed actions during January 6th. Is due process being followed for them? Not as far as anyone can tell. Robert Reeder is one example.

Prosecutors want to make an example of Reeder despite the fact he essentially turned himself in to law enforcement and quickly negotiated a plea arrangement.

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“[I]t is important to convey to future rioters and would-be mob participants—especially those who intend to improperly influence the democratic process—that their actions will have consequences,” assistant U.S. attorney Joshua Rothstein wrote in the government’s sentencing memo. “Picketing, demonstrating, or parading at the Capitol as part of the riot on January 6 is not like picketing at the Capitol some other day, without other rioters present.”

The U.S. attorney is also going after old, as in years old, Facebook posts as “proof” that Reeder is a danger to this country. Meanwhile, the FBI also attempted to go after 71 year old Linda Menk. Evidently walking by herself back to her hotel was problematic. When she pushed back and asked for accountability for the looting rioting thugs who have destroyed multiple cities since May 2020, the FBI shut things down and ran for cover. 

BLM burned down a Minneapolis police station and set cops cars on fire. This is what you call an insurrection but the FBI didn’t investigate this or arrest anyone. Ashli Babbitt was murdered for being at the Capitol and others went to jail for just being there. pic.twitter.com/IEhNt72Tan

— Terrence K. Williams (@w_terrence) August 21, 2021

The ONLY shot fired on January 6th at the U.S. Capitol was by the Capitol Police officer. It’s been verified that no weapons were confiscated from within the Capitol building from any of the idiots who entered. Furthermore, while tragic, the other officers who died, did NOT die that day. They passed away days and weeks later from other causes.

Babbitt family lawyer Terrell Roberts to @DCExaminer: "I challenge Capitol Police to release the detailed findings (if any) of its investigation. It’s not enough to say an officer did nothing wrong if it cannot demonstrate how it reached that conclusion."https://t.co/41DBV81LlM pic.twitter.com/1RfRYOA360

— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) August 23, 2021

I completely agree. It isn’t enough for the Capitol Police to just issue a statement and then walk away. Given the high profile nature of this case, they SHOULD explain HOW they arrived at this decision, but unless they are ordered to by the court, they won’t. 

No matter her choices that day, Ashli Babbitt deserves better. 

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Feature Photo Credit: TapTheForwardAssist at U.S. Capitol Jan 6 via Wikimedia Commons, cropped and modified