'These pardons justify violence': Former Jan. 6 investigator condemns Trump

Tim Heaphy, former lead investigator for the January 6 Committee, condemned President Donald Trump's pardons of the Capitol rioters because they "justify violence."

During a Tuesday interview with CNN's Jim Acosta, Heaphy reacted to the pardon of every single Jan. 6 rioter, including ones who were violent.

"Look, there's no argument here that these facts did not occur," Heaphy said. "I'm not hearing in the president's announcement or any of the folks who support him suggesting that it didn't happen. It's rather an excuse of the violent conduct."

"That's what's so frustrating and so outrageous and such a threat to the rule of law."

Heaphy called the pardons "a horrible threat to the rule of law."

Acosta noted that Vice President J.D. Vance recently promised that violent rioters would not be pardoned.

"If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn't be pardoned," Vance told Fox News.

Acosta pointed out that Trump has "attempted time and again to rewrite the history of January 6."

"We understand what the truth is," the CNN host said. "And yet, the president of the United States continues to lie. And I use the word lie because it is a lie, by calling these people hostages."

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"I think what we're seeing here is the straight-up justification of violence, right?" Heaphy agreed. "These pardons justify violence in the name of this cause, in the name of these lies, this false narrative that the election was stolen."

"That's a new frontier. And I do think that's extremely troubling."

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