1,500 January 6 Participants Pardoned; Criminal Justice Expert Weighs In

On Jan. 20, roughly 1,500 individuals involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot were pardoned. January 6, 2021 marked the day when a mob of Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol Building, believing the 2020 election had been stolen. At least five people died that day, and many of those involved were incarcerated, with some facing death row for their actions.

Dr. Tim Holler, a Criminal Justice associate professor at Pitt-Greensburg and a member of the Pennsylvania Reentry Council, discussed the pardons.

“Legally, it’s allowed,” Holler said, noting that former President Joe Biden had previously granted pardons to some involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 events, demonstrating that it is within a president’s power to issue such clemencies.

However, Holler pointed out that some individuals may choose to forgo the pardon, preferring to retain their criminal records despite the offer.

Along with the pardons for January 6 participants, Holler also mentioned the pardon granted to Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road dark web marketplace, who had been serving two life sentences plus 40 years.

While these pardons are legally permitted, Holler said, “Morally, it may not be.”