After President Donald Trump granted clemency to hundreds of January 6 offenders, the most well-known defendant from the Capitol riot from North Texas was released from prison.
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Granbury-native Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers extremist group, was released from federal custody three years into his 18-year sentence for seditious conspiracy after being commuted.
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Through an executive order Monday night, President Trump pardoned all those convicted of federal crimes in the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.
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Roughly 1,500 participants in total were pardoned. And for 300 others awaiting trial, their cases have been dismissed.
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The overturning of the prosecutions was the first step in the president’s promised overhaul of the Justice Department itself.
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Granbury-native Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers extremist group, was released from federal custody three years into his 18-year sentence for seditious conspiracy after being commuted.
-
Through an executive order Monday night, President Trump pardoned all those convicted of federal crimes in the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol.
-
Roughly 1,500 participants in total were pardoned. And for 300 others awaiting trial, their cases have been dismissed.
-
The overturning of the prosecutions was the first step in the president’s promised overhaul of the Justice Department itself.
DALLAS—After President Donald Trump granted clemency to hundreds of January 6 offenders, the most well-known defendant from the Capitol riot from North Texas was released from prison.
More than 60 North Texans were charged by the federal government for their involvement in the Capitol violence.
When the federal government picked up people for the January 6 Capitol attack, President Trump frequently referred to them as “hostages.”
Trump declared Monday, January 20, 2025, to be Liberation Day in his inaugural speech.
The head of a far-right militia who was found guilty of seditious conspiracy was one of those who received pardon.
Who was pardoned?
We know:
President Trump pardoned everyone convicted of federal offenses related to the January 6 Capitol uprising through an executive order Monday night.
Stewart Rhodes
Stewart Rhodes, a Granbury native and the founder of the extreme organization Oath Keepers, was released from federal custody three years after his 18-year sentence for seditious conspiracy was mitigated.
“We knew it was coming because he promised us,” Rhodes remarked. “Promises are made and fulfilled. We were aware that it would occur.
As Rhodes and others were being released, supporters of those who had been imprisoned, including Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the hardline group Proud Boys, arrived to offer their support.
Jenna Ryan
Over 60 people were arrested in connection with the Capitol riots by the FBI’s Dallas Division.
Jenna Ryan and other North Texans were found guilty of more minor offenses, such as entering and staying in a restricted building.
Ryan was given a 60-day jail sentence after entering a guilty plea. She also received fines of $1,500.
Guy Reffitt
Others, such as Guy Reffitt, a native of Wylie, was sentenced to more than seven years in jail after a jury found him guilty of five felonies, including obstruction and civil disorder.
Jackson Reffitt, Reffitt’s 18-year-old son, assisted the FBI in 2021. After hearing about the president’s executive order, the son talked to CNN.
“I m just so filled with paranoia about what could happen,” he stated. “I ve been waiting all day for a call from the DOJ.”
Investigators were informed in 2021 by Jackson Reffitt that his father had told him that if he turned himself in, he would be considered a traitor and that “traitors get shot.”
Other family members, on the other hand, thought Guy Reffitt was harmless and said something he didn’t mean.
Based on the figures:
In all, almost 1,500 people received pardons. Additionally, the cases of 300 other people who are awaiting trial have been dropped.
More than 1,000 of the 1,500 entered guilty pleas, and 250 were found guilty following a trial. Following bench trials, judges cleared only two accused rioters of all charges. No defendant has ever been found not guilty by a jury.
What they’re saying:
“I thought their sentences were ridiculous and excessive,” Trump stated. “These individuals genuinely cared about our nation. Therefore, we believed that a pardon would be suitable.
“These pardons are essentially a way to get out of jail free.” The decks are cleared. There are no longer any prosecutions. The convictions are vanished. The conviction no longer hangs around a person’s neck, allowing them to go about their business. And more individuals have benefited from that this month than at any other time in our country’s history,” constitutional law lawyer David Coale said.
“Our founders wrote our constitution in reaction to their experiences with the English government. However, they retained a few aspects of the English administration, like the concept of pardon. The monarch of England and the crown may just release someone.”
Biden’s Pre-emptive Pardons
The pardon of President Trump coincided with the preemptive pardons of Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired general Mark Milley, and the House committee that looked into the attack on January 6 by outgoing President Joe Biden.
Members of his own family who have not been accused or found guilty of any crimes were granted the same pardon protection by Mr. Biden.
“Because both Biden’s and Trump’s pardons are tainted by political and personal interests, I don’t think this is very healthy. These individuals backed Mr. Trump so fervently that they committed violent crimes on January 6, according to Coale.
Additionally, we haven’t seen a lot of this in the past when it comes to Mr. Biden leaving office, including the use of the pardon for your family members. And it’s a little novel for the president to pardon those in whom he has a direct stake, whether they be friends, relatives, or political allies. It is quite unique, and it does help to popularize the pardon power.
Overview:
The biggest case in the history of the U.S. Justice Department was the one that was prosecuted on January 6.
The president’s promised reform of the Justice Department itself began with the reversal of those prosecutions.
Highlighted
Former President Joe Biden pardons his family during final minutes in office
James B. Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John T. Owens, and Francis W. Biden were all pardoned by President Joe Biden on Monday.
The Origin:David Coale, a constitutional law lawyer, provided the information for this article.
