Accepting a Pardon Would Only Insult The Capitol Police Officers ~ One of The Convicted US Capitol Rioters Says

One of the individuals who served jail time for participating in the US Capitol riot four years ago has declined a pardon from President Donald Trump.

Pamela Hemphill, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 60 days in prison, told the BBC that there should be no pardons for the events of January 6, 2021.

“Accepting a pardon would only insult the Capitol police officers, the rule of law, and, of course, our nation,” she stated.

“I pleaded guilty because I was guilty, and accepting a pardon would contribute to their gaslighting and false narrative.”

Hemphill, who has been nicknamed the “MAGA granny” by social media users—referring to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan—expressed her concern that the Trump administration was trying to “rewrite history,” and she did not want to be part of that.

“We were wrong that day; we broke the law—there should be no pardons,” she emphasized during the BBC World Service’s Newsday program.

Just hours after his inauguration, Trump decided to pardon or commute the sentences of nearly 1,600 individuals involved in the attempt to violently overturn the 2020 election in his favor.

At a news conference on January 21 at the White House, he remarked, “These people have already served years in prison, and they’ve served them viciously. It’s a disgusting prison. It’s been horrible. It’s inhumane. It’s been a terrible, terrible thing.”

However, this move has generated mixed reactions from some Republican politicians. Senator Thom Tillis from North Carolina stated that he “just can’t agree” with the decision, adding that it “raises legitimate safety issues on Capitol Hill.”

Another Republican senator, James Lankford from Oklahoma, told CNN, “I think we need to continue to say we are a party of law and order.” He further noted, “If you attack a police officer, that’s a very serious issue, and they should pay a price for that.”

Among those pardoned was one of the riot’s most recognizable figures, Jacob Chansley, who was released from jail in 2023 after serving 27 months of a 41-month sentence. He told the BBC that he learned about his pardon from his lawyer while he was at the gym.

“I walked outside and screamed ‘freedom’ at the top of my lungs and then gave a good Native American war cry,” he added.