Key takeaways:
– A resolution was presented by Democratic and independent US senators to protest President Trump’s leniency for individuals responsible for attacking the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
– Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer alongside Senators Patty Murray, Chris Murphy, and Andy Kim are leading this effort.
– The said resolution disapproves of any pardons for individuals found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police officers.
– Republican senators remain mostly quiet about the pardons and commutations by Trump.
U.S Senators Challenge Pardons for Capitol Attackers
US senators hailing from both Democratic and independent groups on Monday presented a resolution. The goal of this resolution? To disapprove of President Trump’s clemency for the January 6 rioters. We’re talking about those people who created havoc at the Capitol last year, injuring officers and hiding lawmakers in the process.
Leader of This Opposition
Leading this action is Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer along with Senator Patty Murray, Senator Chris Murphy, and Senator Andy Kim. All hailing from different states, these senators are driving the disapproval motion that rejects pardons for those guilty of attacking Capitol Police.
The Expected Outcome
Senator Patty Murray will be the one making a request for unanimous consent in the Senate to pass the resolution. But remember, only one senator’s objection can halt this resolution from getting passed.
In her statement on Monday, Murray called out President Trump. She believes he’s trying to falsify the events of January 6. The rioters, instigated by Trump, had broken into the Capitol. They viciously attacked the Capitol Police officers in an effort to overthrow a fair election. And Murray believes condemning the pardons to the ones responsible for such violence should be a straightforward task.
Republican Silence and Trump’s Actions
Interestingly, Republican senators have kept mum on Trump’s pardons and the subsequent commutations. After Trump signed the order, 22 Republican senators didn’t comment much on it. Even longtime Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham acknowledged on NBC News that pardoning violent Jan. 6 defendants seems to align it with permissible behavior.
Now, let’s get into numbers. Trump commuted 14 prison sentences of the attack’s main instigators and members of paramilitary groups. He also granted a full, unconditional pardon to others charged with crimes following the attack.
Inside the Spectrum of Offenders
The offenders weren’t just attendees. They were participants, instigators, and fighters. Around 1,572 defendants were charged with assaulting or impeding officers. About 174 were accused of using a deadly weapon or causing serious injuries. Among these, 172 pleaded guilty to assaulting the police.
The Most Violent Cases
Senators Murray, Schumer, Murphy, and Kim flagged some distinctive cases. Christopher Quaglin got 12 years in prison for various assaults on law enforcement. Tyler Bradley Dykes was sentenced for nearly five years for stealing a police shield and assaulting officers in the Capitol. Robert Sanford Jr. got over four years for attacking three officers with a fire extinguisher.
Final Actions of Former President Biden
Before leaving office, Biden pardoned all congressional committee members probing the attack and four police officers who testified before the panel. With this ongoing debate, it’s crucial to discuss and remember the violent events at the Capitol. And as a nation, we need to support efforts that call for justice and accountability, in whatever form it may come.