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During the last four years, the Department of Justice charged more than 1,500 people with “January 6”-related charges, including for assaults on police, trespassing, obstructing law enforcement, weapon possession, conspiracy and seditious conspiracy.
To date, almost 1,300 have been convicted, with 1,000 pleading guilty and about 700 receiving prison sentences. Just two have been acquitted of all charges.
During the 2024 campaign, Donald Trump indicated that he would pardon what he termed the January 6 “hostages” and that members of the congressional committee investigation the events of that day should be prosecuted, declaring “everybody on that committee, for what they did, honestly they should go to jail.” Trump also referred to the Bidens as a “crime family.”
In the last hours of his presidency, Joe Biden, who has granted clemency to thousands during his term, preemptively pardoned members of his own family. “The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgement that they engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,” he said.
But the Supreme Court in 1833 held in United States v Wilson that a pardon can be refused, but to take effect the pardon must be accepted and, in 1915, the high court held in Burdick v United States that accepting a pardon is an admission of guilt.
Biden also preemptively pardoned Jan. 6 Committee members, former General Mark Milley, who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under both Trump and Biden, and Dr. Anthony Fauci.
On Jan. 20, hours after his inauguration, Trump, who was also indicted for his actions on Jan. 6 four years ago, pardoned virtually all 1,500 persons convicted of or charged with January 6-related crimes, including those who assaulted police officers and injured some more than 100 law-enforcement personnel hurt that day.
Neither Biden’s nor Trump’s pardons change the past but they will surely affect the country’s future.
Marc Bullaro
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krell1349
Trump's pardons are more egregious than Biden's. Rather than review the records of the January 6thj insurrectionists, they just pardoned them all since it takes time to do a through review. They weren't up to the task and this was another one of Trump's lies that not all of them would be pardoned. We live in a deeply divided country. Unfortunately, Biden's pardons will embolden members of the current administration to commit crimes and then be pardoned by Trump. What a tangled web has been woven.
Thursday, January 23 Report this
NYC
A question for you krell1349. The presidential pardon power is granted by the U.S. Constitution. Do you agree with presidents having that power ?
Thursday, January 23 Report this
reenjoe
Many Americans view the Founding Fathers as geniuses and the Constitution as a divine document. Both statements are false. The Founding Fathers were deeply conflicted, flawed men who felt indignation over their own treatment by the British King, while owning slaves and disenfranchising half the population. In crafting the Constitution they made many, many mistakes, the broad power to pardon being one.
Modern thinkers aren't much better. The DOJ memo that posits that sitting presidents cannot be charged with a crime, presumably because they interpret the Constitution to indicate that the only remedy for a dishonest executive is impeachment, is also a flawed document.
It is our responsibility, the people, to hold those who abuse power accountable. The problem, of course, is not everyone considers the unconditional release of dangerous criminals an abuse. In justifying his pardon of the J6 criminals, Trump said they suffered so long in jail. Less than 4 years is too long for police killers?
Thursday, January 23 Report this
NYC
The unlimited and absolute power to grant pardons and commutations, with few exceptions, is the power of a monarch.
Friday, January 24 Report this
krell1349
We don't live in a monarchy, we live in a democracy. But the current president is acting like a king.
Saturday, January 25 Report this