Seven Capitol Police officers sue Trump over Jan. 6 riot

Seven Capitol Police officers filed a lawsuit against former President Trump, several of his associates and extremist group leaders on Thursday, alleging they organized a plot to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power that culminated into the violent Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Why it matters: The suit argues that Trump and the other defendants violated the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act, which in part prohibited conspiracies to overthrow the federal government.

The law prevents authorities from depriving a person of their constitutional rights, and the lawsuit alleges that Trump and his co-defendants violated this section of the law by attempting to overturn election results in cities and states with significant Black populations through false claims of election fraud.

The seven officers, five of whom are Black, contend that the defendants violated the D.C. Bias-Related Crimes Act of 1989 by committing criminal acts while motivated by political affiliation bias.

The lawsuit also implicates the Trump Campaign, the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, and Trump associates, like Roger Stone.