Trump supporters rioting at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. (Shutterstock.com)
President Donald Trump’s swift decision to grant pardons and clemency to hundreds of Jan. 6 attackers – including some of the most violent offenders – is not being enthusiastically received by some senators on Capitol Hill.
And that includes a group of GOP senators, who spoke out against Trump’s decision less than 24 hours after he made the blanket pardons inside the White House on Monday
Some, like Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), expressed fear over “the message that is sent to these brave men and women that stood by us,” according to a Tuesday report in Politico. Others, including Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), told the publication he would "not defend" Trump's action.
“It's not right,” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) told Politico. “People who assaulted police officers — if they do the crime, they should do the time."
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The report noted that Cassidy, Murkowski and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) had all voted to convict Trump at his impeachment trial four years ago.
It also put Collins on record as saying she believes there was a difference between individuals “caught up in the crowd who did not commit a violent act” and those who committed violent crimes, like destroying property or assaulting officers, and should not be pardoned.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said he was disappointed with “that segment of pardons," comparing his disapproval to the five preemptive pardons former President Joe Biden issued to his extended family members.
“I'm as disappointed as I am with all the pardons that Biden did,” he told Politico.
The publication also noted that Vice President J.D. Vance had previously come out against pardoning rioters who had committed acts of violence on Jan. 6, saying they “obviously” shouldn't receive one, but those who had “protested peacefully” should.
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