Capitol insurrection: Federal judge blasts DOJ for not demanding enough restitution from rioters being charged

Hundreds of people who took part in the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol remain awaiting trial, detained, or have been released under certain conditions. However, a federal judge has questioned why the federal law enforcement officials are not demanding enough compensation in damages caused by the rioters.

During a hearing for alleged insurrectionist Wes Croy, who was pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge for unlawful picketing, Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell reportedly questioned why the feds are not seeking more restitution to compensate for the damages caused by the rioters. The insurrection left damage to certain areas of the Capitol, including a broken window.

“Why is it limited to $1.5 million in damage to the Capitol itself, when the cost of the riot to taxpayers is half a billion?” Judge Howell reportedly said during the hearing. Howell also questioned why the cost of deploying the DC National Guard was not included in the damages the feds are seeking from the insurrectionists, according to NBC4 Washington reporter Scott McFarlane.

Howell then ordered prosecutors to include their explanation in the sentencing memo for Croy. To note, a report by the Washington Post revealed that the DOJ defense attorneys are generally seeking to require $2,000 in damages for each felony case and $500 in each misdemeanor case. Ryan J. Reilly, a reporter for HuffPost who was also present during the hearing, also recalled Howell being “aghast” at the government’s approach to the cases related to the January 6 insurrection.

Five people were killed as a result of the pro-Trump insurrectionists’ efforts to derail Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s election victory. The insurrectionists were also targeting then-VP Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Recently, an insurrectionist from New Hampshire pleaded guilty for his involvement in the January 6 riots, according to the DOJ. Navy veteran and Trump supporter Ryder Winegar, who reportedly could not take Trump’s loss very well, left threatening voicemails to lawmakers on December 16, demanding to overturn the now-former president’s loss.

Winegar pleaded guilty to six counts of threatening members of Congress and one count of transmitting threatening communications across state lines. In a news release by the Justice Department, Winegar identified himself by name or by his phone number. The voicemails threatened to hang the members of Congress who did not “get behind Donald Trump.”