Special Poll
- Republican senators have stated it is up to President-elect Trump to decide whether to pardon protesters convicted of federal crimes related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
- They pointed to President Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, as setting a precedent for Trump to help his supporters.
- Senate Republicans are not pushing back on Trump’s claim that members of the House January 6 Committee “should go to jail.”
- With debates over Trump’s Cabinet nominees looming, most Senate Republicans are choosing to avoid making strong statements about January 6 pardons.
- Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) acknowledged Trump’s broad authority to pardon, referencing the Biden administration’s use of pardon powers.
- Thune refrained from commenting on Trump’s remarks about jailing House committee members, suggesting any necessary investigations should be handled by the proper authorities.
- Trump has pledged to begin issuing pardons for January 6 protesters on his first day in office.
- Over 1,250 individuals have been convicted or pleaded guilty for their involvement in the Capitol attack, with 645 receiving prison sentences.
- Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) emphasized that presidential pardon power is Trump’s prerogative and outside Congress’s purview.
- Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) suggested that while Trump has the authority to pardon, clemency should not extend to those convicted of assaulting police officers.
- Graham expressed less concern over protesters who entered the Capitol illegally, stating the events happened years ago.
- He disagreed with the idea of imprisoning members of the House January 6 Committee, stating he sees no justification for such actions.
- Republican sentiments on pardons have softened since Trump’s recent electoral success, which brought Republican majorities in both the Senate and House.
- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had previously opposed shortening sentences for convicted January 6 rioters, emphasizing the seriousness of their crimes.
- Thune and Cornyn have pushed back on Trump’s characterization of convicted individuals as “hostages.”
- Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) wants to see more details on Trump’s proposed pardons before making a judgment, noting that many of the convicted individuals admitted guilt.
- Trump has described the protesters as having “suffered long and hard,” suggesting he will review each case individually.
- Cassidy suggested Trump might exclude those convicted of more severe offenses, like assaulting law enforcement, from potential pardons.
- Trump’s use of the term “hostages” to describe the convicted has angered some Republicans, including his former vice president, Mike Pence.
- Pence, who was targeted during the Capitol attack, has refused to endorse Trump in the 2024 election, citing past disagreements.