Five former Proud Boys leaders have filed a sweeping $100 million lawsuit against the U.S. government, alleging they were unjustly prosecuted for their roles in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
The plaintiffs--Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola--say their constitutional rights were violated during legal proceedings, which they claim were tainted by political motivations, reports BBC.
The lawsuit, submitted in a Florida federal court on Friday, accuses federal prosecutors and FBI agents of bias, alleging misconduct such as witness coercion and tampering with evidence.
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The defendants argue their treatment was part of a broader effort to persecute allies of President Donald Trump.
Tarrio, the group’s former chairman, was convicted of seditious conspiracy and received a 22-year sentence--among the harshest tied to the Capitol breach.
The others received similar convictions and prison terms. However, their fortunes shifted dramatically earlier this year when Donald Trump pardoned the group during his second presidential inauguration, describing them as victims of government overreach.
Trump defended his sweeping clemency move, stating, “What they’ve done to these people is outrageous,” and labeled the prosecutions as historically extreme.
The lawsuit echoes these sentiments, calling the federal cases “corrupt and politically motivated.”
Filed against the Department of Justice, now led by Attorney General Pam Bondi under the Trump administration, the legal challenge highlights alleged systemic abuses in how the cases were handled.
The plaintiffs argue that federal agents pursued them not out of justice, but due to animus toward their political affiliations.
Over 1,500 individuals have faced federal charges tied to the Capitol attack, with hundreds accused of assaulting law enforcement officers using various makeshift weapons.
Despite this, Trump and his allies have continued to characterize January 6 as a misrepresented event.
His critics, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have called the pardons a slap in the face to justice.
This lawsuit may further complicate ongoing debates surrounding accountability, political bias, and the long-term consequences of the Capitol insurrection.
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