Trump ally warns that pardoning violent rioters establishes a perilous precedent
US Senator Lindsey Graham warns that providing extensive clemency to the January 6 Capitol protesters may undermine public trust and lead to legal reforms. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
US Senator Lindsey Graham has voiced his concerns regarding President Donald Trump’s decision to grant clemency to individuals convicted of violent offenses related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, cautioning that this action could lead to significant long-term repercussions.
Pardoning those who assaulted police officers sends “the wrong signal to the public at large,” Graham stated during an interview with CNN on Sunday.
On January 20, Trump signed an executive order allowing clemency for approximately 1,500 people associated with the Capitol riot. This included Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the Oath Keepers militia, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy in 2022 and received one of the longest prison sentences among the January 6 defendants.
Rhodes had been incarcerated at a federal prison in Cumberland, Maryland, before his release, a move that has sparked criticism from legal experts and lawmakers who warn that such actions could empower extremist groups.
Graham, a longtime Trump ally and a Republican from South Carolina, highlighted the potential dangers of sweeping pardons. “I don’t like this. I don’t like it on either side. And I think the public doesn’t like it either,” he remarked.
He cautioned that extensive clemency could undermine public confidence in presidential authority, stating, “If this continues, if this is the norm, there may be an effort to rein in the pardon power of the president as an institution.”
As part of his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump had pledged to pardon individuals charged in relation to the January 6 events. However, his broad executive action has received mixed responses.
Supporters of the pardons argue they rectify what they perceive as political persecution, while opponents claim that such measures undermine the rule of law. Vice President J.D. Vance defended the pardons, asserting that each case was reviewed individually to ensure fairness.
He acknowledged that he had previously opposed pardoning violent offenders but maintained that the decision addresses potential miscarriages of justice.
During the January 6 Capitol attack, supporters of Trump breached security barriers in Washington, DC, attempting to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden’s presidential victory. While some participants acted peacefully, others engaged in assaults on police officers and caused significant property damage.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
Pardoning those who assaulted police officers sends “the wrong signal to the public at large,” Graham stated during an interview with CNN on Sunday.
On January 20, Trump signed an executive order allowing clemency for approximately 1,500 people associated with the Capitol riot. This included Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the Oath Keepers militia, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy in 2022 and received one of the longest prison sentences among the January 6 defendants.
Rhodes had been incarcerated at a federal prison in Cumberland, Maryland, before his release, a move that has sparked criticism from legal experts and lawmakers who warn that such actions could empower extremist groups.
Graham, a longtime Trump ally and a Republican from South Carolina, highlighted the potential dangers of sweeping pardons. “I don’t like this. I don’t like it on either side. And I think the public doesn’t like it either,” he remarked.
He cautioned that extensive clemency could undermine public confidence in presidential authority, stating, “If this continues, if this is the norm, there may be an effort to rein in the pardon power of the president as an institution.”
As part of his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump had pledged to pardon individuals charged in relation to the January 6 events. However, his broad executive action has received mixed responses.
Supporters of the pardons argue they rectify what they perceive as political persecution, while opponents claim that such measures undermine the rule of law. Vice President J.D. Vance defended the pardons, asserting that each case was reviewed individually to ensure fairness.
He acknowledged that he had previously opposed pardoning violent offenders but maintained that the decision addresses potential miscarriages of justice.
During the January 6 Capitol attack, supporters of Trump breached security barriers in Washington, DC, attempting to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden’s presidential victory. While some participants acted peacefully, others engaged in assaults on police officers and caused significant property damage.
Navid Kalantari for TROIB News
