Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday evening, pardoning the 1,270 people convicted for their participation in the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, as well as 14 members of the far-right groups Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, whose sentences were commuted . This decision also ends ongoing prosecutions against several hundred defendants, according to Washington’s new acting prosecutor, Ed Martin, who rushed to implement the decree.
Donald Trump justified this measure by denouncing a “serious national injustice”. At the signing, he said the defendants had been “treated very unfairly” and described as “hostages”. He also criticized the rigor of judges and prosecutors, accusing them of being “absolutely ruthless”.
Indignant reactions from law enforcement and elected officials
This pardon provoked strong indignation, notably among Michael Fanone, a former Washington police officer who was seriously injured during the assault. “I was betrayed by my country and by those who supported Donald Trump,” he declared on CNN, recalling that “six individuals who attacked me will now be free.”
Pam Hemphill, sentenced to two months in prison for her participation and who had expressed regret, denounced an “insult to the Capitol police and the rule of law”. According to her, this measure amounts to an “attempt to rewrite history”. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin condemned the executive order as a “national disgrace.” “These attackers were pardoned by the president who had incited them to violence,” he said in a statement.
Shared reactions among Republicans
Republican elected officials showed mixed reactions. While some, like Marjorie Taylor Greene, supported the pardon, others, including Senator Thom Tillis, expressed reservations, emphasizing that it applies even to the most violent participants.
-By clicking on“I accept”you accept the deposit of cookies by external services and will thus have access to the content of our partners.
More information on the Cookie management policy page
I accept
For his part, Jacob Chansley, known as the “QAnon Shaman,” took advantage of his pardon to declare his intention to buy weapons, posting on social media: “Now I’m going to buy some fucking guns !!! “. Sentenced to more than three years in prison for obstruction, he was released early in 2023.
