Graham Claims It Was ‘A Mistake’ to Pardon Jan. 6 Defendants

Former President Donald Trump issued a wave of clemencies, commutations, and pardons during his first hours back in office, covering individuals convicted or pleading guilty in connection to the January 6 Capitol riot. Around 1,230 people were included in these actions, with another group of approximately 200 individuals convicted of felonies such as assaulting law enforcement officers.

Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Senator Lindsey Graham expressed his disagreement with Trump’s decision.
“Number one, he had the legal authority to do it, but I fear you will get more violence,” Graham stated. “Pardoning the people who went into the Capitol and beat up a police officer violently, I think, was a mistake because it seems to suggest that’s an OK thing to do.”

He continued by criticizing past instances of leniency shown by Democratic figures, saying, “Kamala Harris wanted to raise bail money for people burning down Minneapolis; you know, Biden pardoned half his family going out the door. I think most Americans, if this continues, to see this as an abuse of the pardon power, that we will revisit the pardon power of the president if this continues. But as to pardoning violent people who beat up cops, I think that’s a mistake.”

Graham’s comments align with criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, who have voiced their disapproval of mass clemencies for January 6 offenders. Before the clemencies were issued, Vice President J.D. Vance stated that pardons would be considered for those who “protested peacefully” but added, “If you committed violence on that day, obviously, you shouldn’t be pardoned.”

“There’s really been no better supporter of law enforcement in general,” Graham remarked during his interview. “And there are a lot of people who support President Trump. Law enforcement didn’t like this, but he said it during the campaign. He is not tricking people. The fact that he did it was no surprise. I will be consistent here—I don’t like the idea of bailing people out of jail or pardoning people who burned down cities and beat up cops, whether you are Republican or a Democrat.”

Trump, for his part, has defended the actions, emphasizing the harsh conditions faced by those incarcerated. “These people have already served years in prison,” Trump said. “It’s a disgusting prison. It’s been horrible. It’s inhumane. It’s been a terrible, terrible thing.”

Despite his criticisms, Graham has consistently voted in favor of all of Trump’s Cabinet appointments thus far.