Pardoning all of the Jan. 6 rioters could become a recipe for disaster

By: Keith Kappes
Columnist
Carter County Times

Was President-elect Donald Trump being serious each time on the campaign trail when he promised to issue presidential pardons to each of the more than 1,500 persons charged with crimes for the assault on the U. S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021?

He takes office as our 47th president in less than two weeks and we’ll soon know if his specified “Day 1” timetable is a firm date or just more campaign rhetoric to motivate his MAGA voters. 

That bold pledge undoubtedly appeals to families with grudges against the criminal justice system on the local, state or federal levels.

Trump said recently on national television that, in his opinion, “those people have suffered long and hard. And there may be some exceptions to it. I have to look. But, you know, if somebody was radical, crazy.”

Frankly, I don’t believe there is any way humanly possible for him to keep all of the commitments he has made to take bold action on so many issues on the day he receives his oath of office.

More than 1,250 persons have pleaded guilty or been convicted after trials in connection with the Jan. 6 riot and more than 650 of them receiving prison time ranging from a few days to 22 years.

Upwards of 140 police officers were injured when the rioters stormed the Capitol to protest the election of President Joe Biden. Several officers were beaten with their own weapons and sustained permanent injuries.

One official described it as “likely the largest single day mass assault of law enforcement” in American history. That is a dreadful but accurate observation in a nation founded on the rule of law.

House Democrats, who led the drive to impeach Trump over Jan. 6, have warned us that the wholesaling of presidential pardons for the rioters could have  “far-reaching consequences, both for the rule of law and the security of the country.” 

Some key members of the extremist groups Oath Keepers and Proud Boys were convicted of seditious conspiracy and sentenced to prison terms. Were they merely exercising their right of peaceful assembly or were they trying to overthrow our government? 

In this and other important matters facing our nation, Mr. Trump must keep in mind that he was elected to be our president…not our king!

Contact Keith at keithkappes@gmail.com.