Washington, United States:
Supporters of Donald Trump accused of storming the US Capitol now expect a pardon from the new US president, who has hailed them as “patriots” and “political prisoners”.
More than 1,500 people have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on Congress, which aimed to disrupt the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.
“I’m inclined to pardon many of them,” Trump, whose first term as president ended under the cloud of attack, said at a CNN town hall, one of several times he made the pledge during his 2024 effort to to regain power. White House.
“I can’t say for everyone individually because a few of them have probably gotten out of hand,” he said.
Trump has repeatedly downplayed the January 6 violence, going so far as to recently describe it as a “day of love.”
More than 140 police officers were injured during hours-long clashes with rioters wielding flagpoles, baseball bats, hockey sticks and other improvised weapons, along with tasers and canisters of bear spray.
The attack on the Capitol followed a fiery speech by then-President Trump to tens of thousands of his supporters near the White House, in which he repeated his false claims that he had won the 2020 race.
Several Capitol riot defendants have already used Trump’s election victory over Vice President Kamala Harris to ask for their trials or sentencing to be stayed.
Christopher Carnell, a 21-year-old from North Carolina, asked for a status hearing in his disorderly conduct case in light of Trump’s “multiple clemency promises.”
Carnell, his lawyer said, “expects to be relieved of the criminal charges he currently faces when the new administration takes office.”
Judge Beryl Howell denied the request.
‘Never face consequences’
Another defendant, Jaimee Avery, asked to have her Friday sentencing on misdemeanor sentencing moved to a date after Jan. 20, 2025 — the day Trump will be sworn in as the 47th U.S. president.
“President-elect Trump, who played an integral role in the events of January 6, 2021, has repeatedly publicly stated that he will pardon the January 6 protesters if he becomes president,” her lawyer said in a court filing.
“It would create a gross inequality for Ms. Avery to spend even a day in jail, while the man who played a crucial role in organizing and inciting the events of January 6 will now never face the consequences.”
Judge Christopher Cooper denied Avery’s request to delay her sentencing.
Trump was accused by special counsel Jack Smith of conspiring to overturn the outcome of the 2020 election.
But the case never went to trial and is now being settled under the Justice Department’s policy not to prosecute a sitting president.
Trump has not ruled out pardoning members of the far-right militant groups Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, who were convicted of seditious conspiracy and given the harshest prison sentences.
Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio is serving a 22-year prison sentence for leading a military attack on the Capitol, while Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
According to the latest figures from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, 1,532 people have been charged in connection with the Capitol siege, including 571 charged with assaulting, resisting or obstructing law enforcement officers.
More than 940 defendants have pleaded guilty to various crimes, while another 195 were convicted at trial.
Trump pardoned several of his closest political allies from federal charges before leaving office in January 2021, including his 2016 presidential campaign managers Paul Manafort and Steve Bannon.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)