Graham claims it was ‘a mistake’ to pardon Jan. 6 defendants – Washington Examiner
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) criticized President Donald Trump for granting pardons to individuals involved in the january 6, 2021 Capitol riot. During an appearance on NBC News’s *Meet the Press*, Graham expressed his concerns that pardoning the rioters, notably those who assaulted police officers, was a misguided action that could potentially incite further violence. He emphasized that while Trump had the legal authority to issue these pardons, the decision appeared to endorse violent behavior. Graham also referenced the broader implications of this pardon power, suggesting that continuous misuse could lead to calls for reforming how presidential pardons are granted. His comments align with sentiments from lawmakers across party lines who have voiced disapproval of the mass clemency extended to the rioters. Despite criticizing the pardons, Graham has continued to support Trump’s other political positions.Meanwhile, Trump defended his actions by stating that many of the pardoned individuals had already served important time and described their prison conditions as inhumane.
Lindsey Graham calls Jan. 6 pardons ‘a mistake’
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called out President Donald Trump for pardoning all 1,583 people who faced charges for their actions at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump spent his first hours in office issuing mass clemencies, commutations, and pardons for these former rioters. Some 1,230 had been convicted or pleaded guilty. Another group of about 200 pleaded guilty to felonies that included assaulting officers. Graham claimed he disagreed with the move while on NBC News’s Meet the Press Sunday.
“Number one, he had the legal authority to do it, but I fear you will get more violence. Pardoning the people who went into the Capitol and beat up a police officer violently, I think, was a mistake because it seems to suggest that’s an OK thing to do,” Graham said. “Kamala Harris wanted to raise bail money for people burning down Minneapolis; you know, Biden pardoned half his family going out the door. I think most Americans, if this continues, to see this as an abuse of the pardon power, that we will revisit the pardon power of the president if this continues. But as to pardoning violent people who beat up cops, I think that’s a mistake.”
Graham’s comments echoed lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who expressed their own disapproval of the mass clemency for the Jan. 6 rioters. These clemencies came after Vice President JD Vance assured pardons were coming for those who “protested peacefully” in the days leading up to Inauguration Day. At the time, Vance said, “If you committed violence on that day, obviously, you shouldn’t be pardoned.”
“There’s really been no better supporter of law enforcement in general, and there are a lot of people who support President Trump. Law enforcement didn’t like this, but he said it during the campaign. He is not tricking people,” Graham said. “The fact that he did it was no surprise. I will be consistent here — I don’t like the idea of bailing people out of jail or pardoning people who burned down cities and beat up cops, whether you are Republican or a Democrat.”
Trump has stood by his mass pardons, commutations, and clemencies for those defendants and convicts involved in the riots. The president claimed, “These people have already served years in prison,” Trump said. “It’s a disgusting prison. It’s been horrible. It’s inhumane. It’s been a terrible, terrible thing.”
Graham has since voted in favor of all of Trump’s Cabinet positions thus far.
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