On Jan. 6, 2021, a mob of over a thousand people stormed the U.S. Capitol to halt the certification of the electoral vote after Donald Trump’s unsuccessful reelection bid. Four years later, the president-elect is returning to the White House after a sweeping November victory against Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump has stated that he plans to pardon the rioters involved in the 2021 attack once he begins his second term. He believes that many defendants were unfairly given plea deals and that their lives have been destroyed.
At least 1,572 defendants have been charged in the Jan. 6 attack, with over 1,251 convicted or pleading guilty and 645 sentenced to prison. Trump plans to issue pardons quickly, with exceptions for those who acted radically or crazily during the assault. Even those who have already pled guilty, including those who assaulted police officers, may be considered for pardons.
Cases against Jan. 6 defendants are expected to continue until President Joe Biden leaves office on Jan. 20. Federal prosecutors have been instructed to focus on the most egregious conduct and cases until the end of the administration, including those who have not been arrested for assaulting a law enforcement officer. Trump’s plan to issue pardons for those involved in the Jan. 6 attack has raised questions and concerns about the future of their convictions and sentences.
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