President Donald Trump pardoned more than 1,500 Americans charged with offenses related to the protest in the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Trump, on his first day back in office Monday, issued a “full, complete and unconditional” blanket pardon for the protest, whom he called “political hostages.”
“This proclamation … begins a process of national reconciliation.”
He also commuted the sentence of 14 other individuals convicted in connection with the event, meaning that they were sentenced to time served but still had their convictions. The names of the individuals are Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Thomas Caldwell, Jessica Watkins, Roberto Minuta, Edward Vallejo, David Moerschel, Joseph Hackett, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, Dominic Pezzola, and Jeremy Bertino.
“This proclamation ends a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begins a process of national reconciliation,” a proclamation from the White House reads.
The proclamation also directs the attorney general to guarantee that the January 6 inmates in custody are immediately released and “to pursue dismissal with prejudice to the government of all pending indictments against individuals for their conduct related to the events at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.”
Blaze News investigative reporter Steve Baker, who was among those with pending indictments, said he was “emotional” regarding the possible end of the prosecution laid against him.
“They intended to destroy my life,” Baker said. “They weren’t capable of doing that. They did not do that.”
“So many others lost everything,” he added. These people lost their homes, their freedom, and their livelihoods for merely walking “through an open door in the Capitol on January 6,”
Despite the pardons, questions still remain concerning some of the victims in what Baker described as the “the weaponization of the Biden DOJ,” particularly for those who have already served their sentences.
Regarding those with pending indictments, Trump ordered his attorney general, Pam Bondi, who has not taken office, to “pursue dismissal.” However, it remains unclear what the next step would be if the judges refuse to comply.
Photo Credit: ©The White House
Originally published January 21, 2025.
