Trump issues 1,500 pardons for Jan. 6 defendants: ‘Going to release our great hostages’

President Trump issued pardons Monday night to hundreds of participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot — staying true to his promise to grant clemency to people involved in halting the counting of Electoral College votes that day.

Trump, 78, said he issued “approximately 1,500” pardons after returning to the White House from a day of inaugural festivities, telling reporters present that “I hope they come out tonight.”

The newly sworn-in 47th president signed a document commuting 14 prison sentences and offering “a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.”

“I will say this, they’ve been in jail for a long time already. I see murderers in this country get two years, one year and maybe no time. So they’ve already been in jail for a long time. These people have been destroyed,” Trump said in the Oval Office when asked if any beneficiaries had assaulted police.

Read Full Article Here