Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President-elect JD Vance says those answerable for violence in the course of the Capitol riot “obviously” mustn’t be pardoned, as President-elect Donald Trump vows to make use of his clemency powers on behalf of a lot of those trying have on January 6, 2021 to overturn the outcomes of the election, which Trump lost.
Vance insisted in an interview on “Fox News Sunday” that the pardon issue was “very simple,” saying those that “protested peacefully” must be pardoned and “if you committed violence that day, of course you should.” not be pardoned.” He later said there was a “bit of a gray area” in some cases.
Trump said he would pardon rioters on “day one” of his presidency, which begins Jan. 20. “Most likely I will do it very quickly,” he said recently on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He added: “These people have suffered long and hard. And there may be some exceptions. I have to look. But you know, if someone was radical, they would be crazy.”
More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes in reference to the siege, which injured greater than 100 cops and compelled lawmakers into hiding as they met to certify Democrat Joe Biden's 2020 victory.
Hundreds of people that didn’t take part in destruction or violence were charged only with misdemeanor charges of illegally entering the Capitol. Others were charged with crimes including assault for beating cops. Leaders of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys extremist groups were convicted of seditious conspiracy after prosecutors tried to make use of force to stop the peaceful transfer of power from Republican incumbent Trump to Biden.
In a post on X, Vance responded to criticism from supporters of the Capitol rioters that his position didn’t go far enough to release all those convicted. “I’ve been defending these guys for years,” he said.
“For the president to say he will look at every single case (and for me to say the same thing) is not a step backwards,” Vance said. “I assure you, we care about people who are unjustly incarcerated. Yes, that includes those who were provoked, and that includes those who received a trash trial.”
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