Here’s what’s being said.
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, questions about potential pardons for those involved in the January 6 Capitol riot continue to make headlines. The outgoing U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Matthew Graves, who led the Justice Department’s investigation into the attack, recently stated that he sees no justification for any clemency for the individuals who stormed the Capitol that day. In his exit interview with The Washington Post, Graves was clear: he believes the cases against those involved in the riot were thoroughly prosecuted and that the actions taken against them were justified.
Graves pointed out that, as the prosecutor responsible for bringing these cases to trial, he would have advocated for clemency or lesser sentences if there were any valid reasons to do so. He emphasized that the decision to prosecute these individuals was not controversial because the evidence—ranging from video footage to cellphone data and eyewitness testimony—was irrefutable. “If I thought there was a reason for a lesser sentence or that the case shouldn’t have been prosecuted, I would have argued that,” Graves said.
His office charged more than 1,500 people in connection with the riot, with nearly 1,000 already pleading guilty and over 250 convicted by a judge or jury. The evidence against these individuals, Graves noted, is substantial, and the investigation will remain available for public review.
While Trump has promised during his 2024 campaign to offer pardons to those who took part in the January 6th events, Graves made it clear that such decisions lie outside the purview of his office. While political figures like Vice President-elect J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) have openly argued that people who partook in violence on January 6 shouldn’t be pardoned, Trump’s potential executive actions remain an ongoing topic of debate. For many Republicans, the idea of a swift pardon—particularly for non-violent offenders—could be seen as a way to right what they perceive as an overreach by the federal government in prosecuting individuals for a protest gone wrong. As Trump’s inauguration approaches, the future of these clemency promises will likely be a key issue in the coming months.