Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has said that he will consider pardoning January 6 participants — including former President Donald Trump — if he is elected to the White House in 2024.
DeSantis was asked if he would consider pardons for J6 defendants during an appearance on the “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show” podcast on Thursday.
“On day one, I will have folks that will get together and look at all these cases, who people are victims of weaponization or political targeting, and we will be aggressive in issuing pardons,” DeSantis said. “I would say any example of disfavored treatment based on politics, or weaponization would be included in that review, no matter how small or how big.”
On Day 1 as president, DeSantis will examine DOJ’s abuses against parents, pro-lifers & J6 defendants.
“We will be aggressive in issuing pardons… We’re going to find examples where government’s been weaponized against disfavored groups and we will apply relief as appropriate” pic.twitter.com/OTfhEmeMmS
— Never Back Down (@NvrBackDown24) May 25, 2023
DeSantis said that the aggressive prosecutions of January 6 participants are part of the Justice Department and the FBI weaponizing their authority.
According to figures released by the Justice Department earlier this month, 1,033 people have been arrested for being at the Capitol that day. Approximately 485 people have already been sentenced.
“Under the continued leadership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the attack continues to move forward at an unprecedented speed and scale,” the DOJ said in a press release. “The Department of Justice’s resolve to hold accountable those who committed crimes on January 6, 2021, has not, and will not, wane.”
“More than 1,033 defendants have been arrested in nearly all 50 states and the District of Columbia,” the DOJ continued. “Approximately 346 defendants have been charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers or employees, including approximately 108 individuals who have been charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer.”
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DeSantis also pointed out that he believes the DOJ targets anti-abortion activists and parents who speak out at school board meetings.
“We’re going to find examples where the government’s been weaponized against disfavored groups, and we will apply relief as appropriate, but it will be done on a case-by-case basis,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election on Wednesday.
