Attorney General Merrick Garland warns the Justice Department will continue to enforce “the law without fear or favor” in the lead up to Jan. 6 anniversary.
“The Justice Department is abiding by the longstanding norms that ensure our independence and the integrity of our investigations,” said Garland on Friday.
“We are honoring our obligation to protect the civil rights and civil liberties of everyone in our country. We are upholding the rule of law and we are protecting the American people.”
In 2021, supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory, and they forced lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to flee for their lives.
Many Trump loyalists walked to the Capitol after a rally outside the White House in which the Republican president exhorted the crowd to “fight like hell” or “you’re not going to have a country anymore.”
Nine deaths were linked to the attack and more than 700 people have gone to court for their roles in it, and more than 450 people have been sentenced to prison.
Federal prosecutors in Washington have charged Trump in connection with the riot, citing his promotion of false and debunked theories of election fraud and efforts to overturn the results.
Trump has pleaded not guilty and continued to lie about the 2020 election.
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