WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has issued roughly 1,500 pardons and commuted the sentences of 14 individuals in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack, NBC News reported.
Trump declared the pardons “full, complete and unconditional” during a signing in the Oval Office, expressing hope for immediate releases, according to the report.
“So, this is January 6. These are the hostages, approximately 1,500 for a pardon … This is a big one,” Trump said while signing the document. “We hope they come out tonight, frankly.”
The Jan. 6 riot, which disrupted the certification of the 2020 election results, led to over 1,500 criminal charges and more than 1,100 convictions, including for violent felonies, according to NBC. While many defendants received probation or completed sentences, Trump’s pardons restore voting and gun rights for those convicted of felonies.
Michael Fanone, a former D.C. Police officer who was attacked by now-pardoned defendants, told CNN that Trump’s pardon has left him feeling betrayed.
“I have been betrayed by my country and I’ve been betrayed by those that supported Donald Trump, whether you voted for him because he promised these pardons, or for some other reason, you knew that this was coming. And here we are,” he told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. “Tonight, six individuals who assaulted me, as I did my job on Jan. 6, as did hundreds of other law enforcement officers, will now walk free.”
Dr. Yogananda Pittman, former acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), voiced her apprehensions, emphasizing the importance of accountability for those who harmed law enforcement officers during the insurrection, NBC4 Washington reported.
“We want to make sure those that harmed law enforcement officials acting in their official capacity are held accountable,” Pittman, now chief of police at the University of California, Berkeley, told NBC 4.
Pittman reflected on the sacrifices made by officers during the Capitol attack, highlighting the deaths of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died hours after the attack in the line of duty, and Officer Howie Liebengood, whose name now graces the USCP’s wellness center.
“On January 6, 2021, I was just doing my job and fulfilling my oath to defend this country,” retired Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell told NBC4. “American citizens attacked the Capitol, injuring me and my colleagues. My colleagues and I protected all elected officials, regardless of what party they belonged [to]. “
