Trump says he will ‘look very seriously’ at clemency of January 6 defendants if re-elected

Donald Trump said on Friday he would “very, very seriously” consider pardoning his supporters accused in last year’s violent uprising on the US Capitol if he were elected president again.

During a speech in Nashville, Tennessee, Trump complained that those arrested after storming the Capitol on January 6, 2021 “were seeing their lives totally destroyed and treated worse than terrorists and murderers. “.

He added: “If I ever become president, if I decide to do so, I will look at them very, very seriously to obtain pardons. Very, very serious. They were treated very unfairly.

Trump has yet to announce his candidacy for the presidency.

He also incorrectly claimed that “most” of those arrested for the January 6 events were only charged with “parading the Capitol.”

There is no such “parade” fee. The defendants have indeed been charged with assault – including causing grievous bodily harm to police officers – as well as destruction of property, theft, conspiracy, seditious conspiracy and trespass, among other offenses. , according to the Department of Justice.

More than 840 people were arrested. Capitol rioters caused nearly $3 million in casualties, including property damage, and some 140 police officers were injured in the violence.

Trump’s comments follow three televised hearings of the House Select Committee investigating the insurgency. The committee revealed how Trump and his allies threatened to overthrow the democratic system – and how former Vice President Mike Pence came to an angry mob who called for his hanging because he refused orders of Trump to reject the 2020 election results.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (RS.C.), a staunch Trump supporter, said earlier this year that an earlier plea by Trump to pardon the insurgents was “inappropriate”, leading Trump to furiously attacks Graham as “RINO” (Republican in name only). Lindsey Graham don’t know what he’s talking about“, said Trump.

The former president reiterated his position in his Nashville speech that Pence should have followed his orders and canceled the election to keep Trump in the Oval Office.

“I never called Mike Pence a wimp,” he said, denying his testimony in court. “I never called him a wimp. Mike Pence was blessed to be great…I say it sadly, because I like him, but Mike did not have the courage to act.”