Senior Democratic Congressman sued ex-president Donald Trump accusing him of violating the 19th century 'Ku Klux Klan Act' by supporting Jan 6 attack.
It seems that the former US President Donald Trump's woes are far from being over. On Saturday Trump was acquitted of inciting the January 6 Capitol riots. Although, the former president was once again acquitted by the Senate on the charges of 'Incitement of Insurrection', it was a historic rebuke of a president by his own party as seven Republican senators joined Democrats to convict Trump.
Now a senior Democratic Congressman sued former president Donald Trump on Tuesday, accusing him of violating the 19th century 'Ku Klux Klan Act' by supporting the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. Bennie Thompson accused Trump, his lawyer Rudy Giuliani, and extremist groups the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers of violating the 1871 act by supporting efforts to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden as the new US president.
What is the Ku Klux Klan Act?
The 14th amendment to the US Constitution in 1868, granted citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the US, including formerly enslaved people.
It also guaranteed citizens equal protection under the law.
Despite the amendment, in some states Black citizens were denied their rights.
So, Congress passed multiple 'enforcement acts' in 1870 and 1871 in response.
Included in the statutes was a provision nicknamed the Ku Klux Klan Act, which was introduced in March 1871 by Rep Samuel Shellabarger of Ohio.
It was later signed into law by President Ulysses S Grant in April.
Provisions of the Act
Ku Klux Klan Act was designed to eliminate the violence against Black Americans and protect the rights of recently freed from slavery.
It allowed the President to use the armed forces to combat those who conspired to deny equal protection of the laws and to suspend habeas corpus, if necessary, to enforce the act.
The section allows civil action to be brought against anyone who prevents public officials from carrying out their duties through 'force, intimidation or threat'.
The lawsuit against Trump says it 'was intended to protect against conspiracies, through violence and intimidation, that sought to prevent Members of Congress from discharging their official duties.'
Today, the act is most commonly used in cases of unreasonable search and seizure and lawsuits related to false arrests or police brutality.
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