Following Donald J. Trump‘s election victory last Tuesday, celebrations unfolded early Wednesday outside the Washington, D.C. jail holding individuals convicted in connection with the January 6 Capitol riots. Supporters of the President-elect gathered, marking the occasion by opening bottles of champagne and offering toasts in anticipation of potential pardons for those involved in the unrest at the Capitol, which included physical encounters with law enforcement and damage to federal property.
Among the celebrants was Michelle Witthoeft, whose daughter, Ashli Babbitt, was fatally shot during the riot. Witthoeft has been a regular presence outside the jail, maintaining a vigil for her daughter. She expressed enthusiasm about Trump’s return to leadership, stating, “Today was amazing. Woke up with the president of the United States, the rightful president back in his spot. And today, after 828 days, we’re going to pop some champagne and raise a glass to President Trump.”
TRUMP BACKS PARDONS.
Trump campaigned on a platform that included pardoning January 6 defendants, whom he has described as “hostages” and “political prisoners.” In March, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to demand, “Free the January 6 Hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!” He reiterated his stance on potential pardons during a forum in Chicago hosted by the National Association of Black Journalists. When asked if he would issue pardons, Trump replied, “Oh, absolutely, I would. If they’re innocent, I would pardon them.”
Despite his broad commitment, Trump has acknowledged that not all cases may qualify for pardons, indicating they would be reviewed individually. During a CNN town hall, he commented, “I am inclined to pardon many of them. I can’t say for every single one, because a couple of them probably got out of control.”
This past summer, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ) overreached when using 18 U.S. Code § 1512(c)(2) to apply enhanced sentences to the January 6 defendants. Subsequently, several have seen their sentences either reduced or been released for time served. […]
— Read More: thenationalpulse.com
