BALTIMORE — The NAACP will hold a press conference on Tuesday, February 16, at 1:00 p.m. ET to discuss the federal lawsuit filed accusing Trump and Giuliani of inciting the U.S. Capitol Riot on January 6, 2021. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday morning in Federal District Court in Washington, D.C. by the NAACP and civil rights law firm Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll on behalf of Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS). Other members of Congress, including Representatives Hank Johnson (D-GA) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), intend to join the litigation as plaintiffs in the coming days and weeks.
“January 6th was one of the most shameful days in our country’s history, and it was instigated by the President himself. His gleeful support of violent white supremacists led to a breach of the Capitol that put my life, and that of my colleagues, in grave danger. It is by the slimmest of luck that the outcome was not deadlier. While the majority of Republicans in the Senate abdicated their responsibility to hold the President accountable, we must hold him accountable for the insurrection that he so blatantly planned. Failure to do so will only invite this type of authoritarianism for the anti-democratic forces on the far right that are so intent on destroying our country,” said Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS).
“Donald Trump needs to be held accountable for deliberately inciting and colluding with white supremacists to stage a coup, in his continuing efforts to disenfranchise African-American voters. The insurrection was the culmination of a carefully orchestrated, months-long plan to destroy democracy, to block the results of a fair and democratic election, and to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of African-American voters who cast valid ballots. Since our founding, the NAACP has gone to the courthouse to put an end to actions that discriminate against African- American voters. We are now bringing this case to continue our work to protect our democracy and make sure nothing like what happened on January 6th ever happens again,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP.
Media interested in attending the virtual press conference can register to attend below:
Media must RSVP to attend the press conference: RSVP
| WHAT: | Federal Lawsuit Accusing Trump and Giuliani of Inciting U.S. Capitol Riot |
| WHO: | Congressman Bennie Thompson
Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP Janette McCarthy Wallace, General Counsel, NAACP Joseph M. Sellers, Co-Counsel, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll |
| WHEN: | Tuesday, February 16, 2021, 1:00 p.m. ET |
| WHERE: | ZOOM (https://naacpheadquarters.zoom.us/j/96285234544) |
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About NAACP
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP.
NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization, and shares our commitment to equal rights.
