President Donald Trump plans to pardon those who were convicted of nonviolent crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021 protest at the U.S. Capitol and to commute the sentences of others convicted of more serious offenses, multiple sources told CNN on Monday.
In addition, the Justice Department is expected to move in court to dismiss cases that have not yet gone to trial, according to a Trump official.
More than 730 people have been convicted of misdemeanor offenses related to the protest, according to the Justice Department. There are some 300 prosecutions still pending in court, including many accused of violent felony crimes, such as assaulting police.
Trump has long vowed to pardon at least some of those who entered the Capitol to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power, according to CNN.
Some 55% of Jan. 6 prosecutions are misdemeanor cases, with charges such as disorderly conduct or trespassing, according to Justice Department data. For those convicted, the vast majority were sentenced to probation or a few months in prison and have already been released.
Pardons don't erase a defendant's criminal record or overturn a conviction, but they do forgive the offense and restore the recipient's civil rights, such as gun ownership or voting rights.
However, a commutation does not forgive the crime and does not restore the recipient's civil rights.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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