DC drops lawsuit against far-right groups after Trump


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Ku Klux Klan Act, a Reconstruction-era legislation, was originally intended to hold the Klan accountable for civil rights violations, allow federal prosecutions, and permit troop deployments to combat the white supremacist organization. It also enabled prosecutions for interfering with government functions or private conspiracies to interfere with civil rights, such as insurrection or political intimidation, under specific conditions.

In the case against the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, the DC Attorney General alleged that they “conspir[ed] to terrorize the District by planning, promoting, and participating in the violent January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol Building.” The law prohibits using force or threats to prevent federal officers from carrying out their official duties.

The dismissal of the lawsuit followed the pardons and commutations granted to members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers after President Donald Trump’s inauguration. The Gateway Pundit reported on the trial of both organizations, documenting a weak case as the claims of “seditious conspiracy” crumbled when the key witness was caught lying under oath.

Several members of these organizations are now hoping for an escalation of their commutations to include full pardons, allowing the complete restoration of their rights.

The KKK Act was also unsuccessfully used to sue a Colorado organization for alleged voter intimidation after they canvassed people following the 2020 Election to inquire about their voting methods (mail, early in-person, or in-person on Election Day) and the number of registered voters at each address – information that is publicly available. The lawfare waged by several NGOs in that case ended with a directed verdict from a Biden-appointed federal judge in Colorado.

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