🚨Trump Administration Settles Ashli Babbitt Lawsuit for Nearly $5 Million

Settlement Resolves Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed by Family of Capitol Rioter Shot on January 6, 2021

The Trump administration has agreed to pay nearly $5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the estate of Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot by police during the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack while attempting to breach the House Speaker’s lobby, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Babbitt’s family had initiated the wrongful death lawsuit in early 2024, originally seeking $30 million in damages.

Earlier this month, attorneys for both sides informed a judge that they had reached a preliminary settlement, reversing the Justice Department’s initial stance against the case. The lawsuit had been scheduled for trial in July 2026, but the agreement has now moved the process toward resolution.

At a May 2 hearing, Judge Ana C. Reyes of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia instructed both parties to provide an update by Thursday, as no final agreement had been signed and terms were not disclosed. Two individuals with knowledge of the discussions, speaking anonymously due to the ongoing court matter, confirmed the settlement amount to be just under $5 million, with approximately one-third allocated to Babbitt’s attorneys, including the conservative group Judicial Watch and Alexandria, Virginia-based lawyer Richard Driscoll.

Neither Babbitt’s legal team nor a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office for Washington, D.C., which is managing the case alongside the Justice Department’s civil division, responded to requests for comment on Monday. The settlement marks a significant development in a case tied to the events of January 6, 2021.

Story originally appeared on Washington Post