DOJ requests order barring commuted J6 defendants from DC be lifted
The Justice Department has taken action to request the lifting of an order that barred certain Jan. 6 defendants from entering Washington, D.C., and the Capitol building. The order was put in place by a federal district judge and specifically targeted defendants whose sentences were commuted, including individuals such as Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins, Roberto Minuta, Edward Vallejo, David Moerchel, and Joseph Hacket.
The order, issued by Judge Amit P. Mehta, stated that the defendants must not enter the District of Columbia or the United States Capitol Building without prior permission from the Court. The order went into effect on Friday at noon. Rhodes, the founder of Oath Keepers, had previously been seen in the Capitol complex’s Longworth House office building and was convicted of seditious conspiracy.
Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Martin filed a motion later on Friday to lift all release conditions on the defendants. The filing argued that the terms of supervised release and probation are included in the defendants’ sentences, and therefore, the Court may not modify these terms.
President Donald Trump recently pardoned nearly all Jan. 6 defendants, following through on a promise he made during his inaugural parade. Trump signed off on the release of more than 1,500 individuals charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The pardons required immediate action from the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon receipt.
Among those pardoned was Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys chairman who was facing a 22-year sentence for seditious conspiracy. The pardons sparked backlash from several prominent figures on Capitol Hill, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Schumer described the pardons as “deeply un-American,” while Pelosi called them “shameful” and “a betrayal” to the police officers who put their lives on the line to protect the Capitol and the democratic process. The actions of President Trump were criticized as an insult to the justice system and those who risked their lives to defend the Capitol.
In response to the controversy surrounding the pardons, the Justice Department filed a motion seeking to lift the order restricting the commuted defendants from entering Washington, D.C., and the Capitol building. The legal battle continues as the fallout from the Jan. 6 insurrection remains a contentious issue in American politics.
