The head of the U.S. Capitol Police has criticized Donald Trump’s plan to pardon people who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Chief J. Thomas Manger told The Washington Post in an interview that such pardon plans cross a line and send a dangerous message about attacks on law enforcement.
“What message does that send? What message does that send to police officers across this nation, if someone doesn’t think that a conviction for an assault or worse against a police officer is something that should be upheld, given what we ask police officers to do every day?” Manger asked.
Manger also told the paper that pardons would “cross the line” and added, “When a police officer is assaulted … that should be a line where it doesn’t matter what political cause you’re passionate about and willing to fight the police about.”
U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger
Following the attack on the Capitol, four police officers who responded to the breach died. Three were members of Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department and a fourth was a Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick.
Over 1,000 of the people charged following the attack pleaded guilty to their crimes while another 220 were convicted in court. Among those were Julian Khater, who pleaded guilty to assault and resisting or impeding officers with a dangerous weapon after he pepper sprayed Sicknick during the attack.
The most serious federal charge stemming from the attack was filed against Proud Boy Leader Enrique Tarrio, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy against the United States. Trump infamously told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” during his 2020 presidential debate with President Joe Biden.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the Republican Party is the party of “law and order” but has said that he will issue pardons for Jan. 6 rioters on his first day in office.
“I know the system. The system's a very corrupt system. They say to a guy, 'You're going to go to jail for two years or for 30 years.' And these guys are looking, their whole lives have been destroyed,” he complained to NBC News’ “Meet the Press” in December.
Trump’s Republican allies in Congress have not expressed concerns about aiding lawbreakers, despite the party campaigning on fighting crime. Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters in December that Trump will have “pretty extensive” pardon powers when he assumes office and that the decision on the issue is up to him.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene told ABC News she’s very much in favor of the pardons. “Here we are nearly four years later. Many of these people have been in prison since 2021. Even the ones that fought Capitol Police, caused damage to the Capitol, I think they’ve served their time and I think they should all be pardoned and released from prison," Greene said. "I think it’s an injustice.”
Michael Fanone, a D.C. Metro police officer who was shocked by a taser, kicked, and beaten by Trump supporters during the attack expressed dismay about the outcome of the attack. In an interview with HuffPost, Fanone said, “There’s no doubt in my mind that [Trump] got away with inciting an insurrection as well as defrauding the American people and attempting to subvert democracy.”
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