Garza V Trump
Garza V Trump
UNITEDSTATESDISTRICTCOURT
FORTHE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
Plaintiff
V.
DONALDJ. TRUMP
)
and
and
[ Address withheld ]
Defendants.
COMPLAINT
Defendant Donald Trump ( Trump ), together with other co-conspirators , defiled that orderly
transition through a campaign of lies and incendiary rhetoric which led to the ransacking of the
United States Capitol as part of an insurrectionist effort on January 6, 2021 by Defendants Julian
1
Pursuant to LCvR 5.1(c) (1) , as revised March 23 , 2022, the Plaintiff's address, as well as the
two individual criminal defendants , is being filed under seal with the Court in a separate Notice
ofFiling.
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 2 of 47
Khater ( Khater ) and George Tanios ( Tanios ), and many others. That attack on the United
States Capitol cost U.S. Capitol Officer Brian Sicknick ( Officer Sicknick ), who was bravely
defending the cradle of American Democracy, his life.
election,he still remains unwilling to accept defeat . He lied to his followers by, among other
things , telling them that the certification of Joe Biden's election was a "coup and that their
country was being stolen from them . He filed dozens of frivolous lawsuits, all of which
substantively failed. And he tried to intimidate state officials,none of whom caved to the
pressure. Out ofoptions and out of time, Defendant Trump finally called his supporters to
Washington,D.C. on the day Congress met to certify President-elect Biden's win, telling them to
Stop the Steal and that the day will be wild. Tens of thousands of his supporters came to the
District in response, including Defendants Khater and Tanios . Some, including Defendants
Khater and Tanios , planned violence at the U.S. Capitol in advance; some were stirred to
violence by Defendant Trump's words on that day.
3 . Defendant Trump implored the crowd to fight like hell and "walk down
Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol. According to an analysis of cell phone location data ,
approximately 40% of the rally attendees did just
attack have since revealed that they were acting on what they believed to be Defendant Trump's
direct orders in service of their country.
2
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/05/opinion/capitol-attack-cellphone-data.html
.
2
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 3 of 47
5 . The mob temporarily disrupted the certification of the vote in the Electoral
College . Rioters threatened to hang Vice President Mike Pence and kill the Speaker of the
House, Nancy Pelosi , and they terrorized and injured scores of others , including Officer
Sicknick
8 .
PlaintiffSandraGarza is the personalrepresentative
for the EstateofBrian
Sicknick.
9 . Defendant Trump was the 45th President ofthe United States . He has a lengt
history of normalizing violence through his rhetoric and social media communications . After
losingthe 2020 presidential election to now-President Biden, Defendant Trump and others
conspired to undermine the election results by alleging, without evidence, that the election had
3
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 4 of 47
been rigged and by pressuring elected officials ,courts, and ultimately Congress to reject the
results .
10. Defendant Trump also promoted and spoke at the January 6 ,2021 ( January 6th ),
rally outside the White the culmination of a coordinated effort to subvert the
certification vote . He called upon his followers including Defendants Khater and Tanios to
come to Washington , D.C. on January 6th, and he encouraged them to then go to the U.S. Capitol
to fight like hell. Defendant Trump directly incited the violence at the U.S. Capitol that
followed and then watched approvingly as the building was overrun.
11. Defendant Trump did allthese things solely inhis personal capacity for his own
Restricted Building or Grounds in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1752(a)(2) and (b)(2) . In his factual
proffer, Defendant Tanios admitted to accompanying Defendant Khater to the January 6th rally in
D.C. and admitted to purchasing and carrying the bear spray Defendant Khater used on Officer
Sicknick .Per his plea agreement ,Defendant Tanios faces a recommended sentence of
6months in prison.
14. On August 26,2022 , Defendant Khater pled guilty to Assaulting , Resisting,or
Impeding Certain Officers Using a Dangerous Weapon (namely , bear spray), in violation of
18 U.S.C. 111(a)(1) and (b) . Officer Sicknick was one of the officers Defendant Khater
admitted he assaulted as a part of his guilty plea. Per his plea agreement , Defendant Khater likely
faces between 78 97 months in prison.
4
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 5 of 47
15. Both men are scheduled to be sentenced by the end of January 2023 or February
2023.
II
.
JURISDICTIONAND VENUE
16. This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this case because the Plaintiff's
federal conspiracy claim arises under the laws of the United States . It has jurisdiction over the
Plaintiff's state law claims because they are so closely related to the federal claims as to form
part of the same case or controversy . See 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331, 1367 ; 42 U.S.C. 1985.
17. This Court has personal jurisdiction over all the Defendants because their actions
were committed in the District of Columbia . See Fed. R. Civ . P. 4(k)( 1)(A); D.C. Code § 13
423 .
18. Venue is proper in this Court because a substantial part of the conduct giving rise
to the claims in the case, including the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol occurred in the District
of Columbia . See 28 U.S.C. 1391(b) )
III
.
RELEVANTFACTUALBACKGROUND
19. Officer Sicknick joined the U.S , Capitol Police in July 2008 and was a member of
that Department's First Responder's Unit. Before joining the U.S. Capitol Police, Officer
Sicknick served in the New Jersey Air National Guard and had deployed overseas in support of
U.S. military missions .
20. January 5, 2021 , Defendant Khater contacted Defendant Tanios just prior to
Tanios purchase of Frontiersman brand bear spray and pepper spray . Defendant Tanios gave
some of the pepper spray to Defendant Khater , which Defendant Khater then carried with him as
the two travelled from Morgantown , West Virginia , to Washington , D.C. the next day .
5
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 6 of 47
21. January 6, 2021, Officer Sicknick was part ofa police line guarding the
22. Defendants Khater and Tanios were among the people who stormed the U.S.
Capitolon January 6, 2021. In an effort to gain entrance to the building,they confronted law
enforcement officers guarding the Lower West Terrace , including Officer Brian Sicknick .
Defendants Khater and Tanios assaulted officers with their hands and feet . From less than 8 feet
away, Defendant Khater sprayed Officer Sicknick in the face with the bear spray provided by
DefendantTanios.
23. Months before a single poll had opened for the 2020 election, Defendant Trump
began accusing Democrats of trying to steal the election, calling the lawful state decisions
about how to conduct an election in the midst of a world-wide pandemic supervised, where
DonaldJ.Trump
@realDonald
Trump
RIGGED2020 ELECTION
: MILLIONSOF MAIL
- IN
24. Democrats more so than Republicans chose to vote by mail given the starkly
partisan views ofthe Covid-19 pandemic . Where most Republican leaders urged supporters to
vote in person, Democratic leaders sought to prioritize safety and social-distancing and
encouraged people to vote by mail. Mail-in ballots were often counted muchlater than in-person
ballots. Ofthe battleground states that largely decided the 2020 election Pennsylvania,
Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona Pennsylvania and Wisconsin do
6
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 7 of 47
not begin processing mail-in ballots until election day ,and only Arizona and Nevada began
Donald J. Trump
@realDonald Trump
27. A little more than an hour later, in televised remarks from the East Room of the
White House, Defendant Trump accuseda very sad group of people of tryingto
29. The following morning , November 5, less than 48 hours after the polls had closed ,
Defendant Trump tweeted Stop the Count and Stop the Fraud ; slogans that were frequently
repeated throughout the day on January 6th prior to and during the attack on the U.S. Capitol .
7
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 8 of 47
30. Defendant Trump gave his first prime-time speech after the election from the
White House in the evening of November 4. He opened his remarks to the nation with the false
assertion you count the legal votes,I easily win. Ifyou count the illegal votes, they can try to
steal the election from us He echoed that sentiment on Twitter shortly thereafter:
DonaldJ. Trump
@realdonaldtrump
easily WIN the Presidency of the United States with LEGAL VOTES CAST. The
OBSERVERS were not allowed, in any way, shape, or form, to do their job and
therefore , votes accepted during this period must be determined to be ILLEGAL
VOTES U.S. Supreme Court should decide !
8
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 9 of 47
31. Defendant Trump's allegations of wrongdoing inthose first days afterthe election
Stopthe StealProtest
at CentralVote Site
MILWAUKEE
Nov5th, 2020 09:18pm
32. Itdid not take long for Defendant Trump to begin directing his criticisms at
individual elected officials . His supporters , in turn, began targeting those officials for
harassment and threats . For example , armed supporters of Defendant Trump who were
encouraged by him actually surrounded the home of the Michigan Secretary of State ,while
Trump-supporting militias demanded a citizen tribunal at the Georgia Capitol.
33. PresidentBidenwon the states of Arizona and Georgia. Yet, inthe first halfof
December, Defendant Trump attackedthe Republican governors ofthese states and accused
9
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 10 of 47
them of fight[ ing] harder against us than do the Radical LeftDems. Helamentedtheirlack of
fealty to him, stating ifthese governors were with us, we would already havewon bothArizona
and Georgia :
DonaldJ. Trump
@realDonald
Trump
the election results in their states . He directed particular attention to officials in Michigan ,
Pennsylvania , and Georgia . He personally attempted to cajole these officials to overturn the
election results and directed his followers to intimidate these perceived adversaries .
Michigan
10
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 11of 47
officials infacttried unsuccessfully to rescind their votes certifying the electionresults for
Biden.
36. Defendant Trump next contacted Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey
and Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives Lee Chatfield . Defendant Trump
likewise pressured them to overturn Michigan's election results ,even inviting them to the White
House to discuss Defendant Trump's plans . Those efforts ,too, proved unsuccessful .
37. Undeterred,Defendant Trump falsely declared on December5, 2021, You know
won almost every county in Michigan, almost every district. We should have won that state
very easily. We have a similar type ofgovernor I think but I'llletyou know that in about a
week.
38. In what should have been an obvious sign of the risk inflammatory language
could pose,some of Defendant Trump's followers heard his claims as a directive to act. And
they responded. A large group of armed protestors convened at the home of the Michigan
Secretary of State chanting, Stop the steal ! and, You're a threat to our democracy! and,
You're a threat to a free and honest election " The protestors made explicit demands that she
overturn the state's election results.
unsuccessful .
Presidentialvote count in that state. Joe Biden won the Presidentialvote in Michigan.
Pennsylvania
Defendant Trump contacted Pennsylvania State Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward and
11
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 12 of 47
legislators that there had been massive fraud in the Commonwealth's voting. Defendant Trump
spoke directly to the lawmakers, telling them, This election has to be turned around. He
further falsely claimed that he had won Pennsylvania and other swing states by a lot.
Pennsylvania legislature to the White House to pressure them to overturn the Commonwealth's
election results .
unsuccessful .
45. There were no election irregularities in Pennsylvania sufficient to change the final
Presidential vote tally . Joe Biden won the Presidential vote in Pennsylvania .
Georgia
46. Defendant Trump went to extraordinary lengths to overturn the election results in
Georgia,a reliably Republican stronghold for decades that Defendant Trump believed was in
unprecedented jeopardy . After Secretary of State Bradford Raffensperger ( Raffensperger )
stated his belief that the state's election results in favor of President Biden were accurate,
Defendant Trump lashed out at him. He called Raffensperger an enemy of the people and
directed at least 17 tweets at him, referring to him as a disaster, obstinate, and a so-called
Republican
12
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 13 of 47
47. Inwhat should have been another warning to Defendant Trump about the impact
of his words,some of Defendant Trump's followers responded to the claims offraud and
Defendant Trump's personal attacks on Raffensperger by targeting the Secretary and his family
with violent threats. His wife was told, Your husband deserves to face a firing squad.
Raffensperger was told, You better not botch this recount . . your life depends on it and that
heand his family should be put on trial for treason and face execution.
48. In December 2020 , Defendant Trump pressured Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to
hold a special session of the legislature to appoint electors who would cast electoral votes for
Defendant Trump.
49. That same month , Defendant Trump called the Chief Investigator for the Georgia
Bureau of Investigations , which was conducting an audit of signatures on absentee ballots .
Defendant Trump implored the investigator to find the fraud and told him that he would be a
"national hero if he was successful in doing so.
50. January 2,2021,just days before Congress was set to certify the Electoral
College votes , Defendant Trump initiated a conversation with Raffensperger about the alleged
massive voter fraud in Georgia . The next day ,Defendant Trump made many misrepresentations
about that conversation to sway public opinion , including that Raffensperger had no clue about
a number of alleged voting irregularities in the state . The media, however , obtained and released
an audio recording of that call. It showed Defendant Trump browbeating Raffensperger to find
enough evidence of fraud to change the state's election result . Defendant Trump claimed that
Raffensperger was aware of election fraud telling him you know what they did and you're not
reporting it. Defendant Trump told Raffensperger that he had won the state of Georgia .
13
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 14 of 47
Defendant Trump made an explicit request to Raffensperger : I just want to find 11,780 votes ,
51. There wereno election irregularities in Georgia sufficientto change the election
52. Inaddition to Michigan , Pennsylvania , and Georgia , Defendant Trump took aim
Donald J. Trump
@realDonald Trump
54. On January 5 , 2021, the night before the rally, Defendant Trump tweeted about
the thousands of people flooding D.C.who did not want to see the country stolen by Radical
Left Democrats:
14
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 15 of 47
Donald Trump
@realDonald
Trump
people pouring into D.C. won't stand for a landslide election victory to be stolen :
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Trump's efforts to subvert the election: the numerous challenges inthe courts. On Defendant
determined the claims were baseless . Judges derided the allegations in these suits as without
merit and flat -out wrong . One judge opined that what would undermine the public's trust in
the election was not the alleged massive fraud Defendant Trump alleged , but the Court
15
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 16 of 47
all:
2020
NEWS Nothing but speculation and conjecture :Judge swats down basedon nothing
butspeculation
lawsuit to decertify Biden's Michigan win
58. Focusingon the Defendants final means of subverting the election blocking
entitled Watch this Before January The video purported to explain why it was permissible
for Vice President Pence to block certification of the Electoral College vote the next day.
Giuliani tweeted a retweet of that post later that night and again the following morning, shortly
before Defendant Trump spoke at the rally.
16
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 17 of 47
Donald J. Trump
@realDonald
Trump
group the ProudBoys stand by Defendant Trump's tweet was understood by his
62. For example ,within minutes of Defendant Trump's be wild tweet, it was shared
on TheDonald.win with the title : Trump Tweet . Daddy Says Be in DC on Jan 6. One user
EvilGuy, said, in response to Trump's call to action, I will be open carrying and so will my
friends.We have been waiting for Trump to say the word. There is [sic ] not enough cops in DC
to stop what is coming .
17
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 18 of 47
AA thedonald.win thedonald
win
Win TheDonald
SignIn
EvilGuy
7 daysago +142 -3
139
Nottellingyou what to do but I will be
open carrying and so will my friends . We
have been waitingfor Trump to saythe
All
Posts
word.
We've got marching orders bois . ( Bois is likely a reference to the Bugaloo Bois a right
wing extremist group ) . Buttfart88 similarly understood Defendant Trump's tweet as marching
orders.
18
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 19 of 47
NamelessKing understood Defendant Trump's tweet as a call to bring weapons to D.C. on the
could also mean he's posted military in certain places while they all wait for the results to be handed down .
ProtestinDC on Jan 6 !!! Let's all turn up and show them they can't steal the election!!!Trump tweets: Bethere , will be wild
posted 1 hour ago by PepeVsCommies + 118/ -0
tweetas a call to do exactly what the rioters did burst into [ the Capitol] by the thousands.
SWORDofLIBERTY
2 points9 hoursago + 2 -0
doesn't matter if they steal the election ,ifpatriots burst into the building by the thousands and cut the heads offthe hydra.
They make the wrong choice with thousands of armed pissed patriots outside ,they made their choice , and you have to make yours
19
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 20 of 47
Copsdon't have " standing" if they arelayingon the groundin a poolof their ownblood.
BathouseBarry_2
points18 minutesago +2 / -0
DonaldJ.Trump @realDonald 1h
womenforamericafirst Follow
A greathonor! Washington D.C.
JANUARY
6th Washington
, DC
TrumpMarch.com
darkscifiangelFightingfor
Trump Fighting for America
4 likes Reply
#MarchForTrump #StopTheSteal
Show thisthread sheliaroberts486 CANT WAIT
TO SEE THE CROWDS!
MARCH Reply
TRUMP
JANUARY6TH
437likes
WASHINGTON
, DC
JANUARY 1
THE PRESIDENT CALLING ON US TO COME
BACK TO WASHINGTON ON JANUARY 6TH
FOR A BIG PROTEST THERE WILL BE WILD
Add a comment
... Post
TRUMPMARCH.COM
6th in response to Defendant Trump's tweet . For example , one California group built on Trust ,
Dedication, and Survival promoted Operation Occupy the Capitol on January 6th and tagged
the post #wearethestorm and # 1776Rebels :
20
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 21of 47
Search Facebook
,
OCCUPYTHE CAPITALJANUARY6 , 2021.
67.
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 22 of 47
DonaldJ.Trump
@realDonald
Trump
69. Defendant Trump's tweet was intended to convince the tens of thousands of
supporters who hadtraveled to D.C. for the rally that Vice President Pence was uniquely situated
to save Defendant Trump's presidency.
70. By the morning of January 6th, thousands of Trump supporters including
Defendants Khater and Tanios had flooded Washington , D.C. Many were prepared for
violence and had plans to attack the U.S. Capitol . Many more were there for a political rally .
The extremists who had been plotting the attack breached the U.S. Capitol as planned .
Defendant Trump incited the other attendees to violence ,whipping them into a frenzy and
turning them into a violent mob that participated in the attack .
71. The rally began at 7:00 a.m. on January 6 , 2021.
72. The United States Secret Service had erected security checkpoints, including
metaldetectors, at the entrance points to the rally. Some ofDefendant Trump's supporters
attempted to bring firearms specifically AR-15 assault rifles into the rally with them but were
turned away at the checkpoints . When Defendant Trump learned this was happening,he became
irate and said Take the effing [magnetometers] away; I don't care ifthey have weapons,they're
not here to hurt me.
22
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 23 of 47
73. From the time the rally began until shortly after 1:00 p.m.,a series of speakers
took the stage to lash out against the election results and to demand action by lawmakers . Each
speaker ralliedthe crowd with incendiary language ,telling the crowd that President Biden did
not win this election ! ; that America is at risk unlike it has been in decades , maybe centuries ;
that our ancestors sacrificed their blood,their sweat, their tears ,their fortunes ,and sometimes
their lives,to give us,their descendants ,an America that is the greatest nation in world history .
I have a question for you : Are you willing to do the same ? My answer is yes . ; and that it
was time for trial by combat .
they rigged an election. They rigged it like they've never rigged an election before.
77. Defendant Trump continued that Hundreds ofthousands ofAmerican patriots are
committed to the honesty of our elections and the integrity of our glorious Republic . All ofus
here today do not want to see our election victory stolen by emboldened radical left Democrats,
which is what they're doing and stolen by the fake news media. That's what they've done and
what they're doing. We will never give up .
78. Defendant Trump also said We will never concede, it doesn't happen . You don't
concede when there's theft involved. Our country has had enough. We will not take it anymore
23
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 24 of 47
and that's what this is all about. To use a favorite term that all ofyou people really came up
with, we will stop the steal. In referring to the steal, Defendant Trump meant the certification
ofJoe Biden as President, which was underway at the U.S. Capitol.
79. As the crowd chanted Fight for Trump, Defendant Trump responded, we will
80. DefendantTrump gave the people some ofwhom he knew had brought firearms
and otherweapons with them permission to break the rules; he told them that [w ]henyou
catch somebody in a fraud, you're allowed to go by very different rules.
81. While Defendant Trump was speaking , at around 12:45 p.m. , a pipe bomb was
found in front of the Republican National Committee headquarters . A second pipe bomb was
found at the Democratic National Committee headquarters about thirty minutes later. The
perpetrator (s) remain at large .
82. Defendant Trump continued to incite the crowd and concluded his speech by
reminding the crowd that they'll never take back our country with weakness . You have to show
strength ,and you have to be strong. He told the crowd to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue . I
love Pennsylvania Avenue . And we're going to the Capitol But we're going to try and give
our Republicans ,the weak ones because the strong ones don't need any of our help . We're
going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our
country The crowd cheered in response.
24
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 25 of 47
83. Defendant Trump put out a clear call to action, and the crowd including
Defendants Khater and Tanios responded . As Defendant Trump was instructing them to go to
the U.S. Capitol,an early flank of insurgents had already forced their way through barricades and
attempted to breach the building, while blasting Defendant Trump's speech on a bullhorn.
84 . The violence escalated quickly after that . After Defendant Trump's speech
ended , insurgents charged the hill surrounding the U.S. Capitol and began scaling the building's
outer walls . Officers reported rioters were attacking them with metal poles . Law enforcement
and local leaders put out calls for help . Officers called for reinforcements as the mob pulled
down the gates erected to protect the U.S. Capitol and attacked officers .
85. At 1:34 p.m., the House Sergeant at Arms and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser both
asked for the National Guard's assistance in protecting the U.S. Capitol .
86. At around 1:45 p.m. , frenzied Trump supporters surged past U.S. Capitol police
officers who were protecting the U.S. Capitol's West steps . One officer declared , We're going
to give riot warnings . We're going to try to get compliance . But this is now effectively a riot.
25
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 26 of 47
87. Meanwhile, sitting in the White House, Defendant Trump did nothing to stop
the mob was declared a riot, Defendant Trump tweeted his speech from the rally:
DonaldJ. Trump
@realDonald
Trump
https://t.co/izltBeFE6G
88. About half an hour later, at 2:12 p.m. , insurgents breached the U.S. Capitol :they
broke windows using riot shields and poles , climbed into the building , and opened the doors for
the mob to storm the interior of the building. Some of those insurgents were wearing military
helmets and full tactical gear; others carried baseball bats , Trump flags , hockey sticks , and
crutches ;they had flex cuffs and climbing gear; some were equipped with their own radio
system ; others had stun guns and other weapons :
26
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 27 of 47
89. As the mob was running rampant through the U.S. Capitol , Secret Service Agents
ushered Vice President Pence off the Senate floor . The mob chanted , Hang Mike Pence!
MAKE
AMERICA
90. At approximately 2:09 p.m., Defendants Khater and Tanios walked on restricted
grounds and proceeded from the south grassy area of the U.S. Capitol toward the Lower West
Terrace.
91. After separating briefly , Defendants Khater and Tanios reunited at approximately
2:14 p.m. near the police barricade on the steps of the south side of the Lower West Terrace .
Defendant Khater told Defendant Tanios , Give me that bear shit, and then reached his hand
into Defendant Tanios backpack and retrieved a white canister of bear spray .
92. While still trespassing in the restricted grounds of the U.S. Capitol , Defendant
Tanios encouraged other rioters to do the same, and videotaped the rioters assaulting police .
93. By 2:20p.m., U.S. Capitol Police announcedthe U.S. Capitol had been breached
94. Around that same time, Defendants Khater and Tanios were engaged ina
confrontation with law-enforcement officers , including Officer Sicknick , who were guarding the
Lower West Terrace of the U.S. Capitol . They and others began pulling down barriers and
27
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 28 of 47
assaulting and attacking officers with their hands and feet and other objects . From lessthan8
feet away,Defendant Khater sprayed Officer Sicknick inthe face with the bear spray Defendant
Tanios had brought with them.
2021-01-0
AXON BODY
-2020
KEEP AMERICA GREAT
George
Pierre
Tanios
95. Officer Sicknick turned his head away and retreated from the police line,
incapacitated by the bear spray. Defendant Khater continued to deploy the spray,now advancing
towards at least two other officers , and sprayed them directly in their faces from only a few feet
away.
96. At 2:24 p.m., almost an hour after rioters descended on the U.S. Capitol, and as
they were storming the hallways,Defendant Trump sent out a tweet with the clear intent to
further inflamethe mayhem, and which directly imperiled his Vice President: MikePence
28
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 29 of 47
didn't havethe courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our
Constitution
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
violence.
98. Inresponse to this tweet , members of the mob continued to chant Hang Mike
Defendant Trump that the rioters were all his supporters . In response , Defendant Trump told
McCarthy , Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.
100. While the wild mob grew more violent , climbed over balconies ,and erected
nooses in front of the U.S. Capitol , Defendant Trump's staff and advisors were pleading with
him to address the nation and put an end to the violence . At 2:38 p.m. ,an hour after the first
breach,Defendant Trump obliged, but stopped far short of calling off the mob or condemning
the assault that was still underway:
29
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 30 of 47
DonaldJ. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
101. By 3:00 p.m. , the District of Columbia issued notice of an emergency citywide
Capitol.
103. All these events were widely reported in print, television , and online media
outlets , and Defendant Trump and the other Defendants were aware of this coverage .
104. 4:17 p.m., Defendant Trump tweeted a recorded video directed to his
supporters as they continued to ransack the U.S. Capitol:
DonaldJ. Trump
@realDonald
Trump
30
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 31of 47
In the video , Defendant Trump told the mob , I know your pain, I know you're hurt, and
repeated his lies about a stolen election that had driven the insurgents to the U.S. Capitol in the
first place. Inthe same breath he told the mob to go home,he also said, We love you . You're
very special
105. Predictably
, just as DefendantTrump had intended
, the mayhemcontinued
.
106. At around 5:40 p.m. the police began to clear the U.S. Capitol and Congressional
leaders announced they would proceed with the certification of the Electoral Votes . By that
time ,the mob had thoroughly pillaged the premises : they had shattered windows , damaged
statues , broken doors , vandalized offices , stolen laptops , desecrated the Speaker's office ,
shattered a mirror , and stolen the Speaker's lectern . In total , six people including Officer
Sicknick lost their lives directly because of the riot , 140 officers were injured , and scores of
people were left emotionally and/or physically damaged .
107. At 6:01 p.m.,five hours after rioters had begun their siege on the U.S. Capitol and
had threatened to kill Vice President Pence and others ,Defendant Trump finally released a
statement that directly addressed the violence . Once again, the message fell well short of a
forceful condemnation or rebuke . In another recorded video , Defendant Trump chided that
These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide victory is so
unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly
treated for so long. He then told the members of the violent mob, who continued to occupy the
U.S. Capitol and terrorize Plaintiffs and other members to Go home with love & in peace.
Remember this day forever !
31
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 32 of 47
Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
108 . Manyofthe rioters cited Defendant Trump himself as the inspiration for their
violent actions. For example, the QAnon Shaman Jacob Anthony's attorney explainedthat he
cameas a part ofa group effort, with other patriots from Arizona, at the requestofthe
109. Around 10:00 p.m. on January 6 , 2021, Officer Sicknick , who was still at the U.S.
Capitol, collapsed and was rushedto a nearby hospital for treatment. Around 9:30 p.m. the next
day, Officer Sicknick died.
Sicknick died of natural causes —specifically, a series of strokes. The Medical Examiner
further stated that all that transpired on [January 6] played a role in his condition that led to his
death.
111. In a preceding lawsuit arising out of the events of January 6th,the Honorable Amit
Mehta of this Court ruled on February 18,2022 , that Defendant Trump's statements to his
supporters before the riot is the essence of civil conspiracy , because Defendant Trump
spoke about himself and rallygoers working towards a common goal of fighting and
walking down Pennsylvania Avenue . Judge Mehta also noted that The President's January
32
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 33 of 47
112. March 28 , 2022 , the Honorable David Carter of the United States District
Court for the Central District of California ruled in a subpoena dispute between the House
of Representatives committee investigating the January 6th attack and John Eastman , one
of Defendant Trump's close advisors in his efforts to overturn the election results , that
certain documents were not protected by the attorney -client privilege under the crime -fraud
exception because Defendant Trump's actions leading up to January 6th more likely than
not constitute [d] attempts to obstruct an official proceeding and that Eastman and others
had conspired with him to do just that .
113. In July and August 2022 , Defendants Khater and Tanios signed factual
proffers as part of their plea agreements , in which they admitted to their crimes that day .
Defendant Tanios signed proffer admits to trespass and disorderly conduct ; Defendant
Khater's proffer admits to assaulting , resisting, or impeding [Officer Sicknick ] using a
January 6th
115 . December28, 2022, the HonorableJohn Bates from this Districtruledin
a criminal case of one ofthe January 6th defendants that Defendant Trump's incendiary
rhetoric especially telling his supporters to fight like hell may suggest Trump was asking
them to break the law. Judge Bates noted that Defendant Trump's words could signal to
protesters that entering the Capitol and stopping the certification would be unlawful.
116. OnJune 30, 2021, the House of Representatives passed House Resolution503,
33
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 34 of 47
United States Capitol ( Select Committee ) . The Select Committee interviewed more than a
thousand witnesses many of whom were members of Defendant Trump's administration and
inner circle of advisors and held 9 public hearings to present its key findings to the American
public .
117. After 18 months of investigation , the Select Committee released a final report in
December 2022 totaling almost 900 pages that contained specific findings about Defendant
Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election results , including the following key takeaways :
a. [The] evidence has led to an overriding and straight -forward conclusion :the
central cause of January 6th was one man, former President Donald Trump,
who many others followed . None of the events of January 6th would have
happened without him ;
b. Beginning election night and continuing through January 6th and thereafter ,
Donald Trump purposely disseminated false allegations of fraud related to the
2020 Presidential election in order to aid his effort to overturn the election and
Although these supporters were angry and some were armed , Donald Trump
instructed them to march to the Capitol on January 6th to take back their
country and,
34
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 35 of 47
118. The Select Committee also made a number of criminal referrals as to Defendant
Trump to the Department of Justice's Special Counsel based on its finding of sufficient
evidence of one or more potential violations ofthe following statutes (among others):
e. Obstruction of an Official Proceeding (18 U.S.C. § 1512(c )) . The Select
Committee found that Defendant Trump knew that his actions were likely to
obstruct,influence,or impede the joint session of Congress on January 6th
and because he acted with a corrupt purpose in seeking to pressure Vice
President Mike Pence to prevent certification of the electoral votes that day.
The Select Committee also found that Defendant Trump was also responsible
for recruiting tens of thousands of his supporters to Washington that day, and
that knowing they were angry and some were armed, instructing them to
for summoning what became a violent mob to Washington , D.C. and then
further provoking the already violent and lawless crowd with his 2:24 p.m.
tweet about the Vice President ." The Select Committee further found that
Capitol and that there was significant evidence that President Trump
35
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 36 of 47
IV.
CLAIMSFOR RELIEF
COUNT 1
Wrongful Death
D.C.Code 16-2701
(Against all Defendants)
119. The Plaintiff re- alleges and incorporates by reference paragraphs 27 118 above ,
inclusive.
individuals incited by Defendant Trump and others , including Defendants Khater and Tanios ,
stormed the U.S. Capitol .
122. Before directing the mob to the U.S. Capitol , Defendant Trump instructed them to
fight like hell and declared that you're allowed to go by very different rules and "you have
to show strength . Defendant Trump intended these words to be taken literally .
36
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 37 of 47
123. For several hours after the mob had stormed the U.S. Capitol , Defendant Trump
refused to communicate anything to the mob that might discourage continued unlawful action ,
and thus ratified and approved of its actions .
124. Defendant Trump intentionally riled up the crowd and directed and encouraged a
mob to attack the U.S. Capitol and attack those who opposed them . The violence that followed,
and the injuries that violence caused, including the injuries sustained by Officer Sicknick and his
eventual death, were reasonable and foreseeable consequences of Defendant Trump's words and
conduct
.
125. Officer Sicknick was inside the U.S. Capitol as the mob gathered outside. The
mob, including Defendants Khater and Tanios, attacked Officer Sicknick and other law
enforcement officers protecting the U.S. Capitol and intentionally and unlawfully forced its way
inside the building.
126. Many individuals in the mob , including Defendants Khater and Tanios , either
carried weapons or used objects such as poles and fire extinguishers as weapons before and after
entering the building . Some individuals in the mob also carried restraints such as plastic
handcuffs and rope.
127. The mob, including Defendants Khater and Tanios, also unlawfully and
intentionally entered non-public areas of the U.S. Capitol building, including Members private
offices. It damaged and vandalized personal and public property and stole documents,
electronics , and other items from some members offices.
128. the mob made its way through the U.S. Capitol, participants threatened to kill
numerous individuals, including,but not limited to, law enforcement officers, Vice President
37
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 38 of 47
Mike Pence,and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. The mob terrorized and injured scores of
people inside and outside of the U.S. Capitol , including Officer Sicknick.
129. After rioters broke through the police line where he was stationed, individuals in
the mob, including Defendants Khater and Tanios, intentionally and forcibly assaulted Officer
Sicknick and others . Defendant Khater sprayed Officer Sicknick in the face with bear spray,
which incapacitated Officer Sicknick and left him unable to defend himself from the mob.
130. As a directresultofthe attack by DefendantsKhaterand Tanios and
Trump, Khater, and Tanios played a significant role in the medical condition that led to Officer
Sicknick'sdeaththe followingday.
133. Defendant Trump was aware that his actions prior to and on January 6 , 2021
promoted and encouraged the mob to violently storm the U.S. Capitol.
Plaintifffor the wrongful death ofOfficer Sicknick and for all damages arising therefrom.
COUNT 2
136. The Plaintiffre- alleges and incorporates by reference paragraphs 27 135 above,
inclusive.
38
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 39 of 47
137. A violation of 42 U.S.C. 1985( 1) occurs when two or more persons conspire to
accepting or holding any office, trust, or place of confidence under the United
States ;
c. induce by like means any officer of the United States to leave any
State,district, or place, where his duties as an officer are required to be
performed ;
d. injure [anofficial] in [their] person or property on account of
their] lawful discharge of the duties of [their] office,or while engaged inthe
lawful discharge thereof ; and/or
e. injure [an official's ] property so as to molest, interrupt , hinder,or
Electoral College Vote and certify President Biden and Vice President Harris as the winners of
the 2020 presidential election. In this effort the Defendants induced Congress and Vice
President Pence to leave the U.S. Capitol while they were performing their official duties , as
required by the12th Amendment and federal law,by interrupting,hindering, and impeding the
performance of those duties .
39
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 40 of 47
139. As described more fully in this Complaint , Defendant Trump and others made
public statements knowingly designed to undermine public confidence in the election . Such
statements included falsely claiming that the election had been rigged and that fraudulent
voting had been widespread enough to affect the outcome . These statements were intended to
have the effect, and did have the effect, of communicating strategies of for accomplishing the
aims of the illegal conspiracy to other members of the conspiracy ,including Defendants Khater
and Tanios and other people who took violent action on January 6, 2021.
140. Defendant Trump encouraged,directed, and incited others to confront state and
localofficials to build public support for Defendant Trump's false claims of election-rigging and
fraud. These statements were intended to have the effect, and did have the effect, of
communicating strategies offor accomplishing the aims ofthe illegal conspiracy to other
members ofthe conspiracy, including Defendants Khater and Tanios and other persons who took
violent action on January 6 ,2021.
141. Defendant Trump promoted, supported, and endorsed a rally near the White
House on January 6,2021,the very same day lawmakers participated in a joint session of
Congress to count and certify the Electoral College votes from the 2020 presidential election.
142. Among other purposes, the purpose of the rally was to gather a crowd inan effort
to incite them to disrupt the certification of the Electoral College votes by Congress and to deny
Defendant Trump's tweet to be a call to violent action to stop Congress from certifying the
40
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 41of 47
Electoral College vote. Defendant Trump's tweets were , in essence , an offer to join a conspiracy
to disrupt Congress . By answering his call , conspirators indicated their agreement to his
unlawful conspiracy to disrupt Congress and deny office to President Biden and Vice President
Harris.
144. Defendant Trump addressed the large crowd at the January 6 rally. He said they
rigged an election . They rigged it like they've never rigged an election before . He said We
will never concede , it doesn't happen . You don't concede when there's theft involved. Our
country has had enough . We will not take it anymore and that's what this is all about . Right
before turning the crowd loose on the U.S. Capitol , Defendant Trump exclaimed , You'll never
take back our country with weakness . You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.
Defendant Trump intended these words as a threat of violence or intimidation to coerce Congress
to disregard the results of the election . The other Defendants were aware of Defendant Trump's
remarks and endorsed and supported them as part of, and in furtherance of, the conspiracy .
145. Through his words and conduct, Defendant Trump endorsed and ratifiedthe
violent actions ofthe mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol, including Defendants Khater and
Tanios .
146. Under 1985, any party so injured or deprived as a result of acts committed in
furtherance of the conspiracy may have an action for the recovery of damages occasioned by
41
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 42 of 47
COUNT3
( AgainstDefendantsKhaterand Tanios)
148. The Plaintiffre- alleges and incorporates by reference paragraphs 27 147 above,
inclusive.
Sicknick , Defendant Khater is liable to the Plaintiff for common-law assault for the same
conduct. Defendant Tanios is liable for his role in those same acts .
COUNT 4
Negligence Per Se
(Violation of D.C. Code §§ 22-1322 Riotingor Incitingto Riot)
(Against allDefendants)
153. The Plaintiffre- alleges and incorporates by reference paragraphs 27 152 above,
inclusive.
42
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 43 of 47
154. D.C. Code 22-1322 makes it a criminal offense to willfully engage in a riot
and to willfully incite[] or urge[] other persons to engage in a riot. D.C. Code 22-1322(b),
(c ). The statute defines a riot as a public disturbance involving an assemblage of 5 or more
persons which by tumultuous and violent conduct or the threat thereof creates grave danger of
damage or injury to property or persons." D.C. Code § 22-1322(a).
155. Section 22-1322, on its face, is a statute designed to promote public safety .
156. Defendant Trump violated that statute through his willful conduct by,among
other things :
January 6 ;
his supporters had brought weapons with them to the rally saying the
followinghighlyinflammatorythings, amongothers:
iii
.
" youhaveto show strength.
157. Defendant Trump , in short, convinced the mob that something was occurring
that if actually true might indeed justify violence , and then sent that mob, including
43
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 44 of 47
DefendantsKhater and Tanios, to the U.S. Capitol with violence- laced calls for immediate
action.
158. Defendant Trump further demonstrated his willfulness in inciting the riot by
refusing to call it off for hours as it wreaked havoc ,even telling House Minority Leader Kevin
McCarthy that their actions proved they simply cared more about the election that McCarthy did.
When Defendant Trump did finally address the mob, he did so intentionally in highly equivocal
language that largely praised them and blamed the riot on the alleged election fraud .
159. Defendants Khater and Tanios violated D.C. Code 22-1322 by actively
participating ina riot, including , among other things , physically assaulting Officer Sicknick
160. Officer Sicknick was directly harmed by the actions of Defendants Khater and
Tanios and others and died as a result of that harm.
COUNT5
162. The Plaintiffre- alleges and incorporates by reference paragraphs 27 161 above,
inclusive.
163. January 6 , 2021, a mob of individuals, incited by Trump, stormed the U.S.
Capitol.
Sicknick, and intentionally and unlawfully forced its way insidethe building.
carried weapons or used objects such as poles and fire extinguishers as weapons before and after
44
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 45 of 47
entering the building. Some individuals in the mob also carried restraints such as plastic
handcuffs and rope.
166. The mob also unlawfully and intentionally entered non-public areas of the U.S.
Capitol building, including the members private offices . It damaged and vandalized personal
and public property and stole documents , electronics , and other items from some members
offices.
167. As the mob made its way through the U.S. Capitol , participants threatened to kill
numerous individuals , including , but not limited to, Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of
the House Nancy Pelosi . The mob terrorized and injured scores of people inside and outside of
the U.S. Capitol , including Officer Sicknick .
168. As described above, Officer Sicknick was harmed by the rioting mob Defendant
169 . The mob's intentional and unlawful entry into the U.S. Capitol, and the words and
actions ofits participants before and after entry, caused Officer Sicknick to suffer direct physical
harm.
171. All ofthe events of January ,which Officer Sicknick was a part of and injured
by, played a role in the condition that led to Officer Sicknick's death the following day .
172. Defendant Trump aided and abetted the mob of individuals including
Defendants Khater and Tanios that stormed the U.S. Capitol and assaulted Officer Sicknick .
173. Defendant Trump was aware that his actions prior to and on January 6, 2021
promoted and encouraged the mob to storm the U.S. Capitol and assault Officer Sicknick .
45
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 46 of 47
174. Before directing the mob to the U.S. Capitol , Defendant Trump instructed them to
perpetrated upon Officer Sicknick . Defendant Trump riled up the crowd and directed and
encouraged the mob to attack the U.S. Capitol and perpetrate violence on those they
encountered . And Defendant Trump ratified , endorsed ,and encouraged this violent conduct
after it began.
177. Forallthese reasons, Defendant Trump is liable to Officer Sicknick (through his
personalrepresentative, PlaintiffSandra Garza) for assault and for all damages arising therefrom.
V.
WHEREFORE, the Plaintiff respectfully requests this Court to enter a judgment in her
not less than $ 10,000,000to the Plaintiff, the specific amount to be determined at trial;
( 3) Award the Plaintiff reasonable attorneys fees and costs for the investigation
( 4) Grant any such additional relief as the Court deems just and proper.
JURY DEMAND
The Plaintiffdemands a trial by jury by the maximum number ofjurors permitted by law.
46
Case 1 : 23- cv- 00038 Document 1 Filed 01/05/23 Page 47 of 47
/ Matthew Kaiser
KAISERDILLON PLLC
Matthew Kaiser ( D.C. Bar No. 486272 )
Noah Brozinsky ( D.C. Bar No. 1655789)
1099 Fourteenth Street , N.W., 8th Fl.
Washington , D.C. 20005
Tel: ( 202) 640-2850
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
/ Philip Andonian
CALEBANDONIANPLLC
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
/ Mark S. Zaid
Attorneysfor Plaintiff
47