Pamela Hemphill, who served prison time for actions she took on Jan. 6, 2021, said she will not accept President Trump’s pardon and that his supporters were “wrong” for storming the Capitol four years ago.
“Accepting a pardon would only insult the Capitol Police officers, rule of law and, of course, our nation,” Hemphill told the BBC.
“We were wrong that day. We broke the law. There should be no pardons,” she added.
Trump on Monday night in one of his first official acts as president granted roughly 1,500 “full, complete and unconditional pardons” for rioters charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. There have been 1,583 total defendants charged.
About 600 Jan. 6 defendants were accused of assaulting, resisting or impeding police. Ten defendants were convicted of sedition, the crown jewel of the Justice Department’s sprawling prosecution.
Hemphill pleaded guilty in 2022 to one misdemeanor count of parading, demonstrating or picketing at the Capitol Building, and prosecutors, in turn, dropped three additional misdemeanor charges. She was sentenced to 60 days in prison, three years of probation and $500 restitution.
“I pleaded guilty because I was guilty, and accepting a pardon also would serve to contribute to their gaslighting and false narrative,” Hemphill told the BBC.
Trump repeatedly promised the pardons during the 2024 campaign, but they have still come under scrutiny since he officially issued the sweeping pardons.
Hemphill talked to CNN about her decision to reject the pardon and said she notified her attorney and her probation officer of her wishes. Individuals are permitted to reject presidential pardons if they choose to do so, according to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1833.
“A lot of people have been telling me to take the pardon, and then others are very happy that I’m not, but this, this has to do with part of my amends,” Hemphill said on CNN, when asked what the reaction has been to her decision to reject the pardon.
“They’re trying to rewrite history. That January 6 was not an insurrection, and I don’t want to be a part of that. It was, it was an insurrection. It was a riot,” she added.
Hemphill also pushed back on the narrative that the Department of Justice is “weaponized” against Trump supporters, saying, “It’s not true.”
“The DOJ was not weaponized against me. In fact, I had a wonderful judge,” she said, “and I’m lucky I didn’t get more time, but I don’t want any part of no pardon.”
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