Interview with Micki Witthoeft, Ashli Babbitt’s Mother
To mark the third anniversary of the U.S. Capitol riot, The Daily Wire spoke with Micki Witthoeft, the mother of Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran who was fatally shot in the halls of Congress that day. Witthoeft participated in a nightly vigil outside the Washington, D.C. jail where many January 6 defendants are being held.
DW: Why are you here this evening?
Witthoeft: I’m here because the government murdered my daughter three years ago. I think she deserves an investigation into her death. And I think the men inside deserve fair and accurate sentences and not the overreach we’re seeing.
DW: So it’s not just one person. It’s about everybody who’s been incarcerated?
Witthoeft: It is about the unfair treatment and the violation of people’s constitutional rights. I very much think Ashli’s rights were violated. She served this country four times in the Middle East, she was deployed four times to come home and go to a “Stop the Steal” rally and to come home in a box is completely unacceptable. And then to have your government throw you away like you’re a disposable human — completely unacceptable.
DW: How many nights have you been here at the vigil outside the D.C. jail?
Witthoeft: Probably about 520 now.
DW: How aware do you think the guys on the inside are of what you’re doing out here? And do you think that the demonstrations that you’re doing every night, and speaking with them, of course, gives them hope? Or how does it make them feel?
Witthoeft: It gives them a voice to the outside. When we first got here, they didn’t have visitation, they were being horribly treated by some of the guards and their treatment has improved. They do have visitation now. And some of these people on “Freedom Corner” [at the vigil] will be their visitors on Friday. Some of them have family that can’t make it all the way across the country, especially not every week. So, we go sit in a big room across from each other and fill up the visitation room. So I think that’s been a blessing. There’s a constant in and out of people here because they come here before they go to trial. And then they stay here until they’re sentenced, then they leave and then there’s a constant flow of people — because people continue to get arrested to this day behind the events of January 6.
DW: What kind of reforms are you looking for moving forward?
Witthoeft: Well, I think what has become clear to mainstream America, and shame on us for not realizing it sooner, but we have a lot of these guys — it’s their first bout with the law. Not all of them, but most of them. This is mainstream America you have behind the walls of this jail. So I think a lot of us have become aware of the need for prison reform in this country all around.
LISTEN: Hear the full Morning Wire interview with Micki Witthoeft
DW: You mentioned blanket pardons wouldn’t work.
Witthoeft: I don’t think so. I mean, there are some people in this movement that are for them. But I think it would deter a proper investigation into the events of that day. I think if you blanket pardoned people and then their problem goes away, there’ll be less people pushing forward to find out exactly what happened that day.
DW: It would be too easy an answer?
Witthoeft: Well, I think it would allow the government to just shelve it.
DW: Do you think, under the current administration, that might happen? Are you hoping that now that it’s an election year, whoever gets elected — because it is ultimately the Justice Department that’s in charge — do you hope that whoever comes in or if President Joe Biden himself [gets a second term], hears your message and institutes the kind of changing and looking for?
Witthoeft: Biden himself is never going to listen to my message. I think, not disrespectfully to Biden — although I don’t have any respect for Biden — but what I say is not out of disrespect, it’s out of what I see from him. I don’t think he’s competent to run this country. I think he’s very much addle-minded and in his senior decline. I mean, you know it’s just human fact that at a certain point, you’re at your peak and then you’re not anymore. And I think he’s very much not anymore. I don’t think he has the capacity for the intricate situations that arise in this country. I don’t think he’s a good leader at this point.
DW: What do you think your daughter would say at this point in time, if she were here?
Witthoeft: Well, she would be very upset at the state of this country as I think many Americans are. My daughter was brave and bold. And the reason I’m here is because I believe she would be here. So that’s my feeling that I believe she would be right here pushing for justice and the reinstatement of people’s Constitutional rights. And the thing about January 6 is, not only did they kill my child, but they took away my belief and some of the things I held true … about this country, like equitable justice and fairness, and, just some things you hold to be true and are not.
Because now, I now believe, without putting on a tinfoil hat, the corruption goes to the top. I absolutely do. And I believe we’re in the beginnings of a police state. When you have cameras watching your every move, when you have people tracking your phone, you have the Patriot Act, you have the 702 [Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act]. Now, they need even less permission to infringe on American rights. I think that that’s a problem.
DW: What do you want to be done now? We’re almost three years to the day? What would you like to see?
Witthoeft: I think, you know, the release of some of the footage is going to be semi-helpful, but it’s also slow rolled and watered down and mediocre.
DW: Is that because they’re blurring the faces or there just isn’t enough of it? [As part of the rolling disclosure by the GOP-led House.]
Witthoeft: They’re just not releasing enough of it, quick enough. And I don’t think anybody’s face should be blurred out. I really don’t. I think if we’re gonna hold people accountable, let’s hold people accountable. And I think that you went in such an unprecedented event where you have so many people charged from the same day for a lot of the same crimes, to have the people that were charged be the ones saying, “Release the video, let’s see it, let’s see it,” which we have been doing for three years, and the government is the entity that doesn’t want it released. I think that should tell us all we need to know, as American citizens, that the government has something to hide. I think that’s pretty, pretty obvious.
DW: Is there anything else you’d like to see?
Witthoeft: I would like to see an investigation into the entire day. I want to know who did what … I think if we’re gonna hold our American people accountable, we need to hold everybody accountable.
DW: By what mechanism do you think that would need to be done? Because you’ve had the January 6 Committee. You’ve had some Republicans do their own counter-investigation.
Witthoeft: Well, that’s a good question and I wish I had those answers. You know, all I know to do is to continue pounding on doors. To continue contacting your local representatives. To show up to vote even if you don’t have full faith in the system, to not sit back and wait for Donald Trump to ride in and save the day because he’s one man. I think American citizens need to be their own heroes, speak up, stand up, say something, run for local offices, and seriously take the pride back in this country that it once used to have.
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The views expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and not necessarily those of The Daily Wire.
Listen to the Morning Wire interview with Micki Witthoeft.
What are Micki Witthoeft’s concerns about blanket pardons for the January 6 defendants, and how does she believe it would impact the truth coming out about that day’s events
To mark the third anniversary of the U.S. Capitol riot, The Daily Wire had the opportunity to interview Micki Witthoeft, the mother of Ashli Babbitt. Babbitt, an Air Force veteran, was fatally shot in the halls of Congress on that fateful day. Witthoeft has since been participating in a nightly vigil outside the Washington, D.C. jail where many January 6 defendants are being held.
In the interview, Witthoeft expressed her grief and demanded justice for her daughter. She believes that an investigation into Babbitt’s death is necessary and that the men currently incarcerated deserve fair and accurate sentences, rather than the overreach that is currently being witnessed.
For Witthoeft, her presence at the vigil is not only about seeking justice for her daughter but also about highlighting the unfair treatment and violation of constitutional rights that many defendants have experienced. She strongly feels that Ashli’s rights were violated, considering her service to the country as an Air Force veteran. Witthoeft finds it completely unacceptable that her daughter served her country multiple times overseas, only to be killed at a “Stop the Steal” rally and then discarded like a disposable being by her own government.
When asked about the vigil outside the D.C. jail, Witthoeft revealed that she has been attending for approximately 520 nights. She believes that the demonstrations and conversations held during the vigil provide a voice for the incarcerated defendants. Initially, these individuals were treated poorly by some of the guards, but the situation has improved, and they now have visitation rights. Witthoeft and others who attend the vigil play a crucial role in keeping their spirits up and supporting them through their legal proceedings.
Turning the conversation towards reforms, Witthoeft emphasized the need for prison reform in the country as a whole. She believes that the events of January 6 have shed light on the unfair treatment of defendants and recognizes that many of them are experiencing their first encounter with the law.
While the possibility of blanket pardons for the defendants was brought up, Witthoeft expressed concern that such pardons would hinder a proper investigation into the events of that day. She believes that pardoning everyone involved without accountability would prevent the truth from coming out.
Regarding President Joe Biden and the current administration, Witthoeft expressed skepticism. She does not believe that Biden would listen to her message, as she deems him unfit to run the country. She feels that Biden is in a state of mental decline and lacks the competence and leadership necessary to address the intricate situations faced by the nation.
Witthoeft concluded the interview by speculating on what her daughter would say if she were alive. She believes that Ashli would be upset at the state of the country, just like many other Americans. Witthoeft sees her own presence at the vigil as a means to uphold Ashli’s beliefs and push for justice and the restoration of people’s constitutional rights. She expressed her loss of faith in the fairness and equity that she once believed America stood for, suggesting a growing awareness of corruption within the system.
Calling for action, Witthoeft stated the need for the release of more footage from that day’s events. However, she criticized the slow and insufficient disclosure of information, including blurred faces in the footage. Witthoeft firmly believes that no faces should be blurred and that a more transparent approach is necessary for accountability.
As the third anniversary of the U.S. Capitol riot approaches, Micki Witthoeft’s voice and determination serve as a reminder that seeking justice and upholding constitutional rights remain vital in the face of tragedy. Her unwavering dedication to her daughter and the cause continues to shed light on the need for reform and accountability.
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