The Five Proud Boys plan to sue former President Donald Trump as they face seditious conspiracy charges for their role in the January 6, 2021 uprising, a New York Times reporter reported this week.
The defendants — including Enrique Tarrio, longtime president of the far-right group — “intend to call Donald Trump as a witness at trial.” journalist Alan Feuer posted on Twitter.
It’s not immediately clear why they want Trump on the witness stand. However, other defendants on January 6 said they stormed the US Capitol because they believed that was what Trump wanted, which they believed would legitimize the riot.
But the request to sue Trump has not been accepted in other lawsuits since Jan. 6, Feuer noted.
However, a judge in the current Proud Boys case has already ruled that prosecutors can play a video at Trump’s trial of him telling the group to “sit down and watch” during a televised debate with then-presidential candidate Joe Biden in 2020. The surprising comment was widely seen as a message to the Proud Boys to be ready to act if Trump asks them to.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly allowed the video because he said the former president’s comments showed “another reason” for the Proud Boys to be “pleading with Mr. Trump.” [and] engages in the alleged conspiracy” to keep him in power.
Sabino Jauregui, a lawyer representing Tarrio, argued that the real culprit in the insurrection was Trump, but said it was “too hard to blame him” because any charges would be brought by an “army of lawyers”.
“It’s easier to blame … the proud boys,” Jauregui said, describing Tarrio and other defendants as mere “scapegoats.”
On Monday, four members of the right-wing Oath Keepers were convicted of seditious conspiracy for their role in the insurrection. They face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Meanwhile, Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes was convicted in November of seditious conspiracy.
The Proud Boys have all pleaded not guilty to the same charge.
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