Union boss blasts special treatment for officer who killed Ashli Babbitt

A union official for the organization representing U.S. Capitol Police has blasted the special treatment given by the government to the officer who shot and killed Ashli Babbitt during the protest-turned-riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

That was the day hundreds of people mostly walked into the Capitol and looked around in their protest of what they saw as Joe Biden’s illicit presidential race victory, a race that was under significant undue influences such as the FBI’s interference.

Among those protesters, a few rioted, vandalizing the building.

Just the News reports that a statement it obtained from U.S. Capitol Police union chairman Gus Papathanasiou said the special treatment for Michael Byrd was wrong.

“What a slap in the face to the rank and file officers of the USCP, especially all who were on duty on J6,” he said.

The publication earlier had reported that House Democrats had pushed the police department to give special benefits to Byrd, including a $37,000 retention bonus, help with $160,000 in fundraising, housing, and a promotion from lieutenant to captain.

All that surpassed the help given other officers who were at the Capitol that day.

The report said Papathanasiou demanded that Byrd be forced to repay the benefits that were more than what other officers got.

“Not sure what makes Mike Byrd so special that he thinks he needed to be ‘taken care of’ by the Department. USCP should give every officer a $37k bonus or have Mike Byrd pay it all back,” he said.

Byrd’s lawyer and Capitol Police officials didn’t return messages seeking comment.

The publication said it reviewed internal emails and found Byrd was unhappy with all the benefits and was dealing with at least one Democrat in the administration to get even more.

“We play the game as you request and then once we’re in compliance You guys change the rules on us,” he wrote to Thomas DiBiase, general counsel for the Capitol Police, after he was told he couldn’t access cash from a memorial fund right away.

Byrd also has been a controversial figure over his extensive record of rules infractions, including firing a gun at a stolen vehicle in a residential neighborhood while off duty and leaving his gun unattended in a public restroom.

The report explained Rep. Barry Loudermilk of the House Administration Oversight Subcommittee confirmed there were at least three other referrals to the Office of Professional Responsibility, but those records now are missing.

In an interview on the “Just the News, No Noise,” TV show, Loudermilk explained the political pressure on Capitol Police to provide Byrd benefits was “highly inappropriate.”

Papathanasiou said an investigation by the incoming Congress would be appropriate.

“I’m curious, what else is the USCP covering up? I truly hope the new Congress comes in to conduct a deep dive investigation into all of this and the top brass of the USCP, to include the IG office and OGC,” he said.

A separate wrongful death case has been filed against the government on behalf of Babbitt’s family by Judicial Watch.

Spokesman Tom Fitton told Just the news Byrd never should have had a firearm in the first place.

Byrd has claimed Babbitt, trying to climb through a broken window, was a “threat” to the House of Representatives.

He also admitted he didn’t know whether she was armed or unarmed. She was unarmed.