Photos: YouTube Screenshots\Wikimedia Commons
WASHINGTON, D.C. — One of many alarming campaign promises, President-elect Donald Trump has said he intends to pardon all January 6 insurrectionists in his first hours in office.
In a new brief, Public Citizen and Courage for America highlight the criminal and personal backgrounds of some of the most dangerous MAGA extremists, including current and former leaders of The Oathkeepers and The Proud Boys, who led the attack on that infamous day and have since been convicted.
Public Citizen Co-President Lisa Gilbert said a mass pardon of January 6 rioters would be extremely dangerous.
“Donald Trump promised that on Day One he would restore “law and order” and address kitchen table issues affecting families’ pocketbooks — like lowering costs. Instead, he is promising to free a violent group of alt-right leaders, conspiracists and revenge-seekers who violently attacked our nation’s Capitol on January 6, 2021,” said Gilbert. “Only four years ago, then-President Trump incited an insurrection that brought terror upon the Capitol and left multiple people dead. If he frees this group of extremists, Trump would betray the American people and put us all in danger.”
Courage for America Council Member and Former Capitol Police Officer, Sgt. Aquilino Gonell said rioters chose violence against him and fellow officers, almost costing his life.
“If January 6th was a day of love, then MAGA extremists nearly loved me to death,” said Gonell. “Donald Trump incited a violent mob to attack the Capitol, elected officials, and law enforcement officers in order to overturn the 2020 election. The officers who served that day were simply doing their jobs in defending the Capitol and our democracy. Pardoning insurrectionists would only be a further desecration of the officers who died and reject accountability for the atrocities of that day. We must continue to push for full accountability and justice for every single crime committed that day.”
Former Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone added law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol on January 6 are still reeling from the effects of the attack.
“MAGA Republicans in Congress have taken a stand against law enforcement, against the will of the voters, and against the Constitution,” said Fanone. “They voted with the violent insurrectionists, then tried to discredit the heroic police officers who defended the government, and now they support pardons for the criminals who attacked American democracy.”
