Capitol Rioter Turns Down Trump’s Pardon: ‘We Were Wrong That Day’

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A convicted participant in the January 6 Capitol riot has publicly rejected a pardon from former President Donald Trump, calling it an insult to the rule of law and the Capitol police officers who were harmed during the violent attack.

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Pamela Hemphill, who served 60 days in prison after pleading guilty to her role in the insurrection, made the statement in an interview with the BBC.

Hemphill, who was given the nickname “Maga Granny” by social media users, explained that accepting a pardon would contradict her responsibility for breaking the law on that fateful day.

“We were wrong that day,” she said, emphasizing that she had pleaded guilty because she was guilty.

“There should be no pardons,” she added, rejecting the idea that the events of January 6 could be rewritten or minimized.

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Her comments come just days after Trump’s White House press conference, where he defended his decision to pardon nearly 1,600 individuals involved in the Capitol riot.

“These people have already served years in prison, and they’ve served them viciously,” Trump stated, describing the conditions in the prison as “inhumane.”

Capitol Rioter Turns Down Trump's Pardon: 'We Were Wrong That Day'

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However, the pardons have sparked mixed reactions among Republicans, including some who expressed concerns about the safety of law enforcement and Capitol Hill security.

Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina voiced his disagreement with Trump’s move, saying that it raised “legitimate safety issues on Capitol Hill.”

Similarly, Senator James Lankford from Oklahoma stressed the importance of maintaining the GOP’s stance on law and order, emphasizing that anyone who attacks a police officer should be held accountable.

In contrast to Hemphill’s refusal, some rioters, such as Jacob Chansley—famously known as the “QAnon Shaman”—have embraced their pardons with enthusiasm.

Chansley was released from prison in 2023 after serving 27 months of his 41-month sentence, expressing his freedom in a dramatic fashion.

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