- Longest-serving DC district judge warns about dangerous false rhetoric surrounding the January 6 attack on the Capitol, calls it “destructive” misinformation spread by political leaders including Trump and some congressional allies.
- Judge Royce Lamberth criticizes James Little, a Jan. 6 defendant, for lack of remorse and misrepresenting the events; Court resents Little to an additional 60 days in jail for a misdemeanor charge.
- Over 1,260 people have been charged in connection to the Capitol breach; Lamberth has presided over high-profile cases and used court filings to address misrepresentations and conspiracy theories about the attack.
Additional Coverage:
- ‘Preposterous’: Federal judge decries efforts to downplay Jan. 6 violence, label perpetrators ‘hostages’ (newsbreak.com)
The longest-serving district judge in Washington, D.C., Judge Royce Lamberth, has issued a warning about the dangers of false rhetoric surrounding the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Lamberth, a Reagan appointee, expressed concern about the “destructive” misinformation being spread by political leaders, including former President Donald Trump and some congressional allies. In a public court filing, Lamberth stated that he had never seen such meritless justifications of criminal activity become mainstream. Although he did not mention Trump by name, Lamberth specifically criticized language used by Trump and Rep. Elise Stefanik, describing Jan. 6 defendants as “hostages.” Lamberth expressed fear that this destructive rhetoric could lead to further danger for the country.
Lamberth’s comments came in connection with sentencing proceedings for James Little, a Jan. 6 defendant facing a misdemeanor charge. Little decried his case as a political prosecution, claiming that the government was suppressing his free speech rights. Lamberth had previously sentenced Little to 60 days in prison and three years on probation but Little appealed, arguing that a defendant charged with a low-level misdemeanor cannot be sentenced to both jail and probation. The appeals court agreed with Little, leading Lamberth to resentence him to an additional 60 days in jail. Lamberth criticized Little’s “clear lack of remorse” and emphasized that the court could not condone misinterpretations or misrepresentations of the events of January 6.
Over 1,260 people have been charged with crimes related to the Capitol breach on January 6, ranging from trespassing to assault on police officers to sedition. Trump has spent years attempting to rewrite the history of the attack, aligning himself with those who stormed the Capitol. Lamberth has presided over several high-profile Jan. 6 cases, including those of Jacob Chansley, Alan Hostetter, and Christopher Worrell. Lamberth has used his court filings in those cases to address misrepresentations and conspiracy theories about the events of the day. The judge emphasized that the matter at hand is a question of right and wrong, stating that Little’s inability to admit wrongdoing warranted the court’s responsibility to tell the truth to the public.