Why January 6 US Capitol attackers are rejecting Trump's pardon
What's the story
A couple of 2021 Capitol attackers have refused a pardon from United States President Donald Trump, saying their actions were not pardonable. Speaking to New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR), one of those pardoned, US Navy veteran Jason Riddle, said it felt as if Trump was trying to erase the incident. "And it happened. I did those things, and they weren't pardonable," he said.
Legal consequences
Riddle's conviction and sentence details
Riddle was convicted of trespassing into the US Senate parliamentarian's office, drinking wine, stealing a book, and vandalizing during the Capitol attack. He was sentenced to 90 days in prison and fined $750 in April 2022 after pleading guilty to the misdemeanors. After reclaiming the presidency by defeating Kamala Harris, Trump granted blanket pardons or commutations to around 1,500 people charged/convicted in connection with the Capitol attack.
Pardon rejection
Other convicts also decline Trump's pardon
Riddle isn't the only convict to have rejected Trump's clemency offer. Pamela Hemphill, who received a 60-day prison sentence and three years of probation for her role in the attack, also rejected the pardon. Hemphill told The Guardian that accepting it would endorse "propaganda that [the attack] was a peaceful protest."
Rejection reasoning
Riddle's rationale and legal debate over pardon rejection
While Riddle rejected the pardon, he also said he believes the pardon could improve his job prospects. He told NHPR that having misdemeanors with a presidential pardon on his record could attract more scrutiny from potential employers. "I'm thinking down the road [if] an employer looks in my background, they see misdemeanors...with a presidential pardon—I think that tends to draw more attention," Riddle said.
Post-sentence
Riddle's life after serving sentence
However, legal experts are divided on whether one can legally refuse a presidential pardon. An 1833 US Supreme Court ruling, which was reaffirmed in 1915, indicates that recipients can refuse such pardons. Riddle served in the US Navy from 2006 to 2010 and has worked as a corrections officer, restaurant server, and mail carrier. He describes himself as a recovering alcoholic and confessed he wasn't in recovery during the Capitol attack.
Stormy Daniels
Riddle stopped supporting Trump
After serving his sentence, Riddle stopped supporting Trump when he saw him urging supporters to protest amid legal troubles with adult film actor Stormy Daniels. "I remember thinking, 'What are you doing, Trump?'...Remember what happened at the [Capitol] riot? Someone might get hurt. Why would you ask people to protest?" Riddle told NHPR. On January 6, 2021, supporters of then-President Trump stormed the US Capitol, injuring approximately 140 law enforcement officers after he lost the presidency to Joe Biden.