Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department wants to charge the non-profit over $1,570,500 for local police bodycam footage of the January 6 protests.
Judicial Watch filed June 2024 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia after the Metropolitan Police Department denied an August 2021 FOIA request (Judicial Watch v. District of Columbia (No. 2024-CAB-003453)). Judicial Watch is asking for:
All audio/video recordings captured on body-worn cameras from MPD officers during their response to protest activities in and around the Capitol Building on Jan. 6, 2021; and
All body worn camera video captured by Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone when responding to protests at the Capitol Building on Jan. 6, 2021.
The DC Metro Police initially rejected Judicial Watch’s request because, it claimed, the videos were, at the time, “part of an ongoing investigation and criminal proceeding.”
But since President Trumps pardons of January 6 defendants, the DC government will make public the videos (supposedly containing over one thousand hours of footage) if Judicial Watch agrees to pay over $1.5 million.
“There never has been a legitimate reason to withhold the January 6 police bodycam videos,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “If they wanted the videos out for political reasons, they’d be public, but instead the DC government wants more than $1.5 million in order for the public to view its January 6 videos.”
Eatgrueldog 
Time to roll the Abrams tanks up to the DC Cop Shop.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Considering they report to the legislative branch, I don’t think that’s going to happen. Then again, the Speaker is a squish.
LikeLike
Taxes paid for the videos. The police act as the people’s agents to enforce the law. They work for the people, and an only slightly indirect way, everything they possess belongs to the people. This bill is pure grift, showing yet again the the Metro fuzz is just as corrupt and dishonest as the area they patrol.
Make every second of video available to the public for free, cross referenced to the time cards and log reports for every officer on duty that day. Otherwise they are playing bullshit games and trying to hide things. PS: I expect a large number of them will have had “defective” cameras or the digital files have been “accidentally” erased.
Drew458
LikeLiked by 1 person
If you haven’t yet, I’d recommend the Judicial Watch site sign up. They have done tireless and good work you may not be aware of. And they win in courts, for us.
~ mississloppigarro
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nothing to hide here, folks… Nothing at all… Move it along, people, move it along…
LikeLike
Just another extortionate attempt to avoid accountability.
LikeLike