On Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump pardoned roughly 1500 criminal defendants involved in the Jan. 6 riots. According to whitehouse.gov, Trump gave out a “full, complete, and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021…”
In this official statement, Trump stated that he was ending “a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years” which will then begin “a process of national reconciliation.”
What happened on Jan. 6?
On Jan. 6, 2021, a riot took place at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C. The attack was committed by a collection of alt-right groups in support of Trump. The intention of the attack was to disrupt a session in Congress that would affirm Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election.
Protestors at the capital were there under the belief that the election was stolen. According to pns.org, “Over 75% of Republican voters found merit in claims that millions of fraudulent ballots were cast, voting machines were manipulated, and thousands of votes were recorded for dead people.”
The mob of protesters overwhelmed security measures at the Capitol building. According to cnn.com, 140 police officers were injured in the attack. Lawmakers and members of Congress fled the Capital upon receiving news of protesters breaking in. Within the first year following the attack, 725 people were charged with federal crimes relating to the incident.
Pardons
According to constitution.congress.gov, Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 states that the President of the United States has the power to “grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.”
A partisan pardon is a presidential pardon that is given primarily to benefit allies or members of their party. Civics and Government teacher Mr. Aleksandr Prafke said, “The American people, for a very long time, had tried very hard to prevent things like pardons from seeming partisan.”
In recent times, however, partisan pardons are becoming more common. This can be seen with the pardon given to Hunter Biden, former President Joe Biden’s son. This can also be seen with the recent pardoning of those involved in the Jan. 6 riots given by President Trump. This is a trend in American politics that seems to have staying power. Mr. Prafke said, “I think that partisan pardons will become more common.” While historically Americans have made an effort to present pardons with nuance, Mr. Prafke also said, “That sense of disguising it, or keeping it not looking partisan, or making it seem ‘normal’, I think that’s going to be going away and not coming back.”
Public Opinion
President Trump’s decision to pardon those involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection has been controversial. It has received criticism from both Republicans and Democrats alike. According to nytimes.com, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina stated “I’ve always said that when you pardon people who attack police officers, you’re sending the wrong signal to the public at large…” Democrats in the Senate are attempting to push for a condemnation of the pardons.
Many American citizens are against the decision to pardon those involved as well. According to newsweek.com, “Only 2 in 10 Americans support pardoning the rioters, while 6 in 10 oppose it, including half who are strongly opposed. Even within the Republican Party, opinions are split, with about 4 in 10 supporting the move and 3 in 10 opposed.”
It is a controversial topic, which carries into the Owatonna school system. Senior Logan Langeberg said in relation to the pardons, “Whether or not it’s right, it’s definitely a nuanced topic.” He then went on to say, “I think that people need to think for themselves about what their opinions are on the matter” and that they should “look at all sides of the news because there are angles that are covered from different sides.” A well-informed viewpoint is necessary when addressing any political issue.
It is important to do ample research before taking a stance on any topic. It is also important for citizens of America to formulate their own opinions, rather than regurgitate things they see on the news.
