US Capitol rioters await Trump pardons

[Stevicus]

US Capitol rioters await Trump pardons

DONALD Trump supporters who were charged with storming the US Capitol are now expecting pardons from the incoming American president, who has lauded them as “patriots” and “political prisoners.” Read more at The Business Times.

www.businesstimes.com.sg

Trump has said he would pardon them, so now they're all lining up and ready for their pardons.

“I am inclined to pardon many of them,” Trump, whose first term as president ended under the cloud of the attack, said at a CNN town hall, one of a number of times he made the pledge during his 2024 bid to retake the White House.

“I can’t say for every single one because a couple of them, probably, they got out of control,” he said.

Trump has repeatedly played down the violence of Jan 6, even going so far as to describe it recently as a “day of love.”

More than 140 police officers were injured in hours of clashes with rioters wielding flagpoles, baseball bats, hockey sticks and other makeshift weapons along with Tasers and canisters of bear spray.

According to the latest figures from the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, 1,532 people have been charged in connection with the Capitol siege, including 571 accused of assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement officers.

More than 940 defendants have pleaded guilty to various offences while another 195 were convicted at trial.

 

[Wandering Monk]

Sentences handed down in Capitol Attack. Yes, there were guns brought there.

43 Months Since the Jan. 6 Attack on the Capitol

www.justice.gov

 

[Shaul]

If Biden and the Democrats were smart they would pardon them before Trump can.

 

[Heyo]

If Biden and the Democrats were smart they would pardon them before Trump can.

If Biden and the Democrats were smart, they would stage a riot to prevent Trump from becoming President.
The problem with the Democrats is that they keep to the rules of conduct, even long after the Pubs have declared them invalid by their actions. It's not an even playing field when one side adheres to the rules and the other doesn't.

 

[Stevicus]

If Biden and the Democrats were smart, they would stage a riot to prevent Trump from becoming President.
The problem with the Democrats is that they keep to the rules of conduct, even long after the Pubs have declared them invalid by their actions. It's not an even playing field when one side adheres to the rules and the other doesn't.

Yeah, but unfortunately for the Dems, they don't have anyone like this:

In contrast, Democrats just don't have that "wild and crazy" edge or even that much real gumption. They're smart and intellectual, but frankly, kinda wimpy too. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, but they might soon realize that cozying up with Wall Street may have been a bad alliance. What they need now is to look up some old friends from the far left who might be able to teach them a thing or two about political infighting.

 

[Viker]

Yeah, but unfortunately for the Dems, they don't have anyone like this:

In contrast, Democrats just don't have that "wild and crazy" edge or even that much real gumption. They're smart and intellectual, but frankly, kinda wimpy too. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, but they might soon realize that cozying up with Wall Street may have been a bad alliance. What they need now is to look up some old friends from the far left who might be able to teach them a thing or two about political infighting.

They have, or should I say had, me. I'd totally whoop cheesey buffalo boy there with a black metal haduken. Too bad for the puny Democrats that I may be leaving. All they had to do was ask me to do that thing. "Show restraint" they said.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

If Biden and the Democrats were smart, they would stage a riot to prevent Trump from becoming President.

That is a remarkably irresponsible and stupid comment.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

If Biden and the Democrats were smart, they would stage a riot to prevent Trump from becoming President.

No matter how many wrongs you pile on, you're not going to get to a right.

 

[Stevicus]

No matter how many wrongs you pile on, you're not going to get to a right.

I don't think anyone really wants that, although there may be some facetious commentary along those lines. Maybe it's just "gallows humor," so to speak.

On a more serious side, though, it's quite possible that (if Trump pardons these people), then some on the left might get the idea that "if they can do it, we can do it." Others might just try to ride it out like it's a bad storm, but I'm not really sure how it will go.

I don't think there will be any kind of big ruckus from the left just because Trump was elected. But on the other hand, if there's some kind of gross, despicable act caused by his administration, such as mass roundups of immigrants or things like that, then I can see the possibility of strong resistance. Give people enough reason to fight back, and they will.

 

[crossfire]

I don't think anyone really wants that, although there may be some facetious commentary along those lines. Maybe it's just "gallows humor," so to speak.

On a more serious side, though, it's quite possible that (if Trump pardons these people), then some on the left might get the idea that "if they can do it, we can do it." Others might just try to ride it out like it's a bad storm, but I'm not really sure how it will go.

I don't think there will be any kind of big ruckus from the left just because Trump was elected. But on the other hand, if there's some kind of gross, despicable act caused by his administration, such as mass roundups of immigrants or things like that, then I can see the possibility of strong resistance. Give people enough reason to fight back, and they will.

Even though I voted for Dave Reichert for governor, I'm kinda glad that Bob Ferguson won. At least we have some pretty strong protections against presidential executive overreach here.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I don't think anyone really wants that, ...

Then they should not "really" advocate that.

 

[Wandering Monk]

Will Trump pardon Elmer Steward Rhodes? If the violent Jan 6ers are pardoned, Trump is sending a signal that you can be violent in his name without consequences. Add to this his intention to gut the DoJ and FBI and suddenly he has his own army to harass and threaten people who oppose him.

According to the government’s evidence, the Oath Keepers are a large but loosely organized collection of individuals, some of whom are associated with militias. Following the Nov. 3, 2020, presidential election, Rhodes, Meggs, and others began plotting to oppose, by force, the lawful transfer of presidential power. Beginning in late December 2020, via encrypted and private communications applications, Rhodes, Meggs, and others coordinated and planned to travel to Washington, D.C., on or around Jan. 6, 2021, the date of the certification of the electoral college vote.​

​

The defendants and their co-conspirators also collectively employed a variety of manners and means, including: organizing into teams that were prepared and willing to use force and to transport firearms and ammunition into Washington, D.C.; recruiting members and affiliates; organizing trainings to teach and learn paramilitary combat tactics; bringing and contributing paramilitary gear, weapons, and supplies – including knives, batons, camouflaged combat uniforms, tactical vests with plates, helmets, eye protection, and radio equipment – to the Capitol grounds; breaching and attempting to take control of the Capitol grounds and building on Jan. 6, 2021, in an effort to prevent, hinder and delay the certification of the electoral college vote; using force against law enforcement officers while inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021; continuing to plot, after Jan. 6, 2021, to oppose by force the lawful transfer of presidential power, and using websites, social media, text messaging and encrypted messaging applications to communicate with each other and others.​

 

[Wandering Monk]

Will Trump pardon these 'political prisoners' and 'hostages' as he called them? Here are three more Jan 6ers. Two brought weapons on the Capitol grounds, The third was parked near the Capitol with a stash of weapons in his truck. This is from June 2022.

• Lonnie Coffman of Alabama was found with multiple weapons in his vehicle and on his person. Coffman’s truck, which he had parked in the vicinity of the Capitol on the morning of Jan. 6, was packed with weaponry, including a handgun, a rifle and a shotgun, each loaded, according to court documents. In addition, the truck held hundreds of rounds of ammunition, several large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, a crossbow with bolts, machetes, camouflage smoke devices, a stun gun and 11 Molotov cocktails. When Coffman was detained, questioned and searched, police found two more handguns on his person. None of the weapons were registered, documents state. Coffman pleaded guilty and was sentenced in April to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
• Guy Reffitt of Texas was charged with bringing a handgun onto Capitol grounds. Court documents showed that Reffitt, reported to be a member of the Three Percenters militia group, told his family he brought his gun with him and that he and others "stormed the Capitol." A jury found Reffitt guilty of five felony charges in March, and he remains detained pending sentencing.
• Christopher Michael Alberts of Maryland also brought his handgun onto Capitol grounds. An officer saw that Alberts had a gun on his hip and alerted fellow officers. When Alberts tried to flee, officers detained him and recovered the loaded handgun, along with a separate magazine. He has been indicted on ten felony counts.

 

[Heyo]

That is a remarkably irresponsible and stupid comment.

No matter how many wrongs you pile on, you're not going to get to a right.

I'm all for adhering to the rules - and for teaching those who won't.
But when the majority of players decides to change the rules, you have to play by the new rules, otherwise you lose.
And you have to win to make the rule-changers realize that the old rules were better.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I'm all for adhering to the rules ...

... when convenient. What you are advocating is stupid, irresponsible, ineffective, and potentially suicidal. Other than that, it's only flaw is its adolescence.

 

[Heyo]

... when convenient. What you are advocating is stupid, irresponsible, ineffective, and potentially suicidal. Other than that, it's only flaw is its adolescence.

That's like ... your opinion, man.

In other words, where is your argument?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

That's like ... your opinion, man.

In other words, where is your argument?

Seriously? You're really expected me to waste time arguing against the proposition that ...

If Biden and the Democrats were smart, they would stage a riot to prevent Trump from becoming President.

What idiocy!

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Seriously? You're really expected me to waste time arguing against the proposition that ...



What idiocy!

Please guys...

You know, I made the same suggestion a couple of days ago in another thread. It was mostly tongue-in-cheek, because I know that Joe Biden would never even consider such a thing. Nobody's perfect, but that is outside his world-view -- he's far too much an institutional sort of person, one who deeply respects the nation's institutions.

But @Jayhawker Soule, you have to understand that we lesser creatures were also commenting on the near-unchecked power that now lies in the hands of the President, who SCOTUS has declared untouchable no matter what he does, so long as he calls it "official business." This is a danger that, while we know Biden wouldn't use it, we're all too sure that Trump certainly would -- on the basis of his history alone.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I don't think anyone really wants that, although there may be some facetious commentary along those lines. Maybe it's just "gallows humor," so to speak.

I think it's also important as a way to point out that Democrats aren't doing these things. If Republicans aren't going to follow the rules and reap the benefits of cheating, there needs to be the accountability of highlighting what is occurring.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

But @Jayhawker Soule, you have to understand that we lesser creatures were also commenting on the near-unchecked power that now lies in the hands of the President, ...

What lesser creatures were also commenting on is not my concern. What does concern me is seriously suggesting Democrats to stage a riot in an effort to sabotage the peaceful transfer of power. The bottom line is this: count me out; I'm better than this.