Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) suggested Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that violent January 6 defendants should not be pardoned by President Donald Trump.
Host Dana Bash said, “One of the many things that the president-elect promised that he would do what was and is to pardon many of the January 6 rioters. We heard Vice President-Elect JD Vance say last week that if anyone committed violence on that day, they should not be pardoned. He added there’s a little bit of a gray area there. According to the DOJ, 608 people have been charged with assaulting, resisting or obstructing officers. One hundred seventy-four of those defendants have been charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon against police officers. So do you agree with Vice President-Elect Vance that those people should not be pardoned?”
Jordan said, “I think all along, whether it’s President Trump, Vice President Vance, people who didn’t engage in violence should be should be pardoned. I think that’s where the American people are. I think that’s where the president is.”
Bash said, “What about those who did engage in violence?”
Jordan said, “I think that’s when you go case by case and they if they’ve done some violent activity against some police officer, maybe not. Maybe they shouldn’t be. I think JD pointed that out. I think the way pardons work, it’s a power solely with the president, case by case, person by person. And the president has complete authority to pardon who he wants to pardon. But I think he’s going to focus on all those people who didn’t commit any violence. I think it certainly warrants a pardon. I think on the 174 number you pointed out. I think he goes case by case and looks at those.”
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