Ashli Babbitt’s mother claimed that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy set up an appointment with her later in March, just after he claimed that U.S. Capitol Police Lieutenant Michael Byrd “did his job” as he fatally shot Ashli Babbitt on January 6.
Doing His Job
Micki Witthoeft claimed that McCarthy’s top aide, Tim Monahan, contacted her as she waited to enter the gallery for the Committee on Administration proceedings at the U.S. Capitol on February 28.
Witthoeft claimed the assistant informed her that McCarthy was interested in a meeting with her since she asked for one. She thought the whole discussion was courteous and encouraging.
On February 2, a reporter questioned McCarthy about whether he believed Ashli Babbitt was killed or that the police officer who shot her was simply carrying out his duty.
Without pausing, McCarthy declared that he believed the policeman had done his job. Witthoeft and widower Aaron Babbitt were both offended by the statement.
Witthoeft said that she would visit his office first on Monday. She wants to know if he had the wherewithal to see the murder of her daughter or if he simply repeats what his handlers command him to say.
A senior staffer to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy met this week with Micki Witthoeft, mother of Ashli Babbitt, the woman shot and killed by police as she breached a set of doors to the Speaker's Lobby on Jan. 6, 2021. https://t.co/FJT4kfEWBF
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) March 1, 2023
Maybe a Bit Forceful
A short while afterward, Witthoeft went to McCarthy’s Washington office.
The day after he made those comments about Michael Byrd only doing his job, according to Witthoeft, she walked in and was probably a bit forceful with his assistant.
On January 6, 2021, just before 2:45 p.m., Babbitt, 35, was fatally shot by then-Lt. Byrd outside the Speaker’s Lobby entrance.
Babbitt, a 14-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and the National Guard, didn’t have any weapons when she began to scale a smashed window leading into the Speaker’s Lobby. Babbitt was struck in the front of her left shoulder by a single round from Byrd’s military Glock 22.
Byrd claimed he felt right in shooting Babbitt because he feared for his life. According to the U.S. Justice Department, there was insufficient evidence to establish that Byrd used excessive force and they both agreed.
Byrd was likewise exonerated of misconduct by Capitol Police. His identity was kept a secret until the end of August 2021, when he appeared on live national television to share his tale.
Witthoeft said that Monahan questioned her about her intentions prior to the start of the Committee on Administration hearing. She said that the question surprised her.
Witthoeft claimed despite attending several hearings, she was taken aback by his inquiry, which asked if she intended to interrupt this one. She hasn’t caused any disruptions. She handled herself admirably in Congress’ chambers.
She claimed Monahan made mention of her arrest on January 6 by the U.S. Capitol Police for failing to move out of the street and obstructing traffic. Afterward, the case was dismissed.
Ashli Babbitt’s mother, Micki Witthoeft, is arrested by US Capitol Police. pic.twitter.com/IPYGOIjMpE
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) January 6, 2023
Witthoeft said it’s disappointing to watch so many media sites continuing to refer to her daughter as a “rioter” or “insurrectionist” when footage shows that Babbitt sought to stop rioters outside the Speaker’s Lobby from smashing up the windows and doors.
This article appeared in NewsHouse and has been published here with permission.
