Rep. Loudermilk wrote to Capitol Police Chief Manger asking for detailed information on Lt. Michael Byrd, who murdered Ashli Babbitt on J6 when she attempted to crawl through a window in the Capitol building. Loudermilk wanted to know the details of Byrd’s promotion to Captain.
Some reports claim Byrd demanded a promotion.
Loudermilk had concerns based on Byrd’s lengthy discipline record, for which he paid no price.
His History of Recklessness
Captain Byrd was referred to the USCP Office of Professional Responsibility (“OPR”) in 2004 for an incident in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Byrd discharged his weapon. He shot at an oncoming vehicle. A neighbor was in the line of fire at the time. Byrd said he jumped out of the way and said he shot into the windshield of the second car. After an investigation, they found he shot into the back of one vehicle. The conclusion was there was no threat. His testimony that the vans attempted to hit him “is inaccurate.” He discharged his weapon as they passed him.
He violated the truthfulness policy and discharged his weapon in a “careless and imprudent manner.” His neighbor was in the line of fire as two stolen vehicles passed him by. On appeal, the disciplinary board overturned the ruling.
In 2015, then-Lieutenant Byrd was referred to OPR for an incident involving a verbal altercation at a high school football game in Montgomery County, Maryland. One of the officers providing security said he had to keep people off the track.
Byrd reportedly became argumentative with the officer and began yelling profanities at the officer, calling him a “a piece of shit, asshole, and racist.” Byrd then accused the officer of targeting the “black side” of the field and then “jumped the fence, came onto the track, and [confronted the officer].”
The security officer went over and tried to de-escalate the situation.
Even after separating from the officer, Byrd continued to scream obscenities. After Byrd calmed down, he spoke to the MCPD officer’s partner, identified himself as a Lieutenant with Capitol Police, and gave the officer his business card.
In 2019, then-Lieutenant Byrd was referred to OPR for leaving his loaded service weapon in a bathroom in the Capitol Visitor’s Center.11 At the time, then-Lt. Byrd was the commander of the House Chambers section of USCP, responsible for ensuring the House Chamber was adequately patrolled. Then-Lieutenant Byrd’s weapon was left unattended in a public restroom for approximately 55 minutes before another officer discovered it.
He was suspended for 33 days without pay.
USCP Gave Him Cash, Housing, Security, and a Promotion
Following January 6, 2021, the USCP provided Byrd with an unrestricted $36,000 bonus as part of a retention agreement in August 2021. Other officers who suffered physical injuries were offered only $3,000.
He essentially received $33,000 more for killing a woman. Byrd might have gotten additional money.
USCP also planned to use the Memorial Fund to pay for Byrd’s expenses, including any lost overtime resulting from his missing work following January 6. That fund is for murdered or injured officers.
Additionally, USCP helped Byrd set up a GoFundMe in November 2021, which raised over $164,000 for Byrd.
USCP ultimately decided not to formally propose a payment to Byrd from the Memorial Fund after his GoFundMe raised significantly more money than Byrd would have received from the Memorial Fund.
USCP also spent over $21,000 on security upgrades on Byrd’s personal home.
In addition, starting in July 2021, USCP provided Byrd with a total of six months of housing at local hotels and the Distinguished Visitors Quarters at Joint Base Andrews.
During this time, Byrd also left the secure base with a USCP Dignitary Protection Detail (“DPD”).
On at least one occasion in September 2021, Byrd’s DPD detail escorted him to a cigar lounge where he stayed out until 1:30 a.m., necessitating “extended DPD coverage.”
Additionally, USCP instructed Byrd not to sit for a Fitness for Duty Evaluation following January 6, 2021. USCP was concerned that Byrd may fail the Fitness for Duty evaluation and that, if Byrd failed, he would not be permitted to carry his service weapon.
Unbelievable!
He later tried to purchase a shotgun and failed the background check. USCP then gave him a USCP-issued shotgun.
Ultimately, Byrd failed his shotgun proficiency and was not provided a USCP-issued shotgun. Shortly after January 6, USCP placed Byrd on Administrative Leave and ultimately removed him from Administrative Leave at the end of June 2021.
Byrd signed a telework agreement in July 2021, which allowed him to telework five days a week, but he did not return to work.
Despite this, Byrd was not disciplined. Instead, USCP retroactively provided Byrd with Administrative Leave for the days he refused to work in July and August of 2021. USCP then encouraged officers to donate their Annual Leave to Byrd in an internal bulletin. Byrd did not return to work until December 2021, months after he signed the telework agreement and nearly a year after January 6, yet he was never referred to OPR or disciplined.
Then-Rep. Tim Ryan asked for additional compensation for Byrd. Why?
At the time, Nancy Pelosi and others acted like he was a hero for political expediency. Ashli Babbitt didn’t deserve to die, and it was not justifiable.
The shooting of Ashli Babbitt:
InvestigateJ6 reports that Ashli Babbit was shot dead.
No questions asked, obviously, bc her death means so much to the narrative!
Just watch, does this look like a normal shooting, at all? pic.twitter.com/uTkeRrsqrS— CitizenLenz (@CitizenLenz) January 2, 2024
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