Durbin: Many Insurrectionists Pardoned By President Trump Pose a Clear Threat To Public Safety
In his speech on the Senate floor, Durbin recounts the threats posed by insurrectionists who have been released by President Trump’s pardons just nine days ago
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, rebuked President Trump for his pardon of approximately 1,500 January 6th insurrectionists, several of whom have already been rearrested or are wanted for vile crimes committed prior to January 6, 2021, including soliciting a sexual relationship with a minor. Because of President Trump’s pardons, dangerous individuals, who have recently made extreme statements calling for more violence, are threatening public safety.
Durbin began his remarks by recalling his own experience in the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
“I was in this chair when the mob that you’ve seen on television, in the videos over and over again, were taking control of this Capitol. Presiding over the United States Senate—we were all in our seats—was the Vice President of the United States. We were counting the electoral votes in each state to decide who was the official winner of the presidential election. It was happening right after President Trump had his rally not far from here and told his supporters and demonstrators [to] come up to the Capitol building, which they did in vast numbers,” Durbin began. “They didn’t just come here for a casual visit. They came to break down the doors and break down the windows and to invade this building.”
“The net result is a lot of brave men and women, who were part of the Capitol police force and the D.C. police force, stood in their way and tried to stop them and were beaten back. Over 140 of these officers were seriously injured by the demonstrators and the insurrectionists coming into this building. Several lost their lives. That was the reality of what happened,” Durbin said. “The net result was one of the largest prosecutions in the history of the United States, ultimately hundreds of them paid a price for that violent activity on January 6 and what they did to our police.”
During the siege of the Capitol that day, over 80 U.S. Capitol Police Officers were assaulted, as well as more than 60 officers from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. As a result of the insurrection, five law enforcement officers died and at least 140 officers were seriously injured.
“The men and women, who were dedicated to their cause, did things that were outrageous in terms of desecrating this building. The United States Capitol Building, a symbol of America, they desecrated it, and they had to be stopped. A lot of brave men and women in uniform risked their lives, some gave their lives as a consequence of it,” Durbin said.
Last week, President Trump, who incited the violence, commuted the sentences of 14 individuals and granted full, complete, and unconditional pardons to approximately 1,500 others convicted of offenses related to the January 6th attack. Many of the perpetrators have shown a stunning lack of remorse following their violent assaults on the brave members of the U.S. Capitol Police and D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department who protected the Capitol that day.
“You would think these men, largely men, who had served time in jail, some of them for lengthy sentences up to 20 years, when they were released with this pardon by President Trump would go about their business and resume a normal, law-abiding life. That was not the fact,” Durbin continued.
Durbin then spoke about the vial crimes of insurrectionists who were released with President Trump’s pardon just nine days ago. At least one of the rioters has already returned to jail while another is wanted for a sex crime involving a minor.
“Matthew Huttle, released by President Trump by pardon, [was] shot and killed by the Indiana State Police earlier this week after a traffic stop when he resisted arrest while in possession of a firearm,” Durbin said. “Daniel Ball has already been rearrested since he was released with the Trump pardon, on gun charges related to past convictions for domestic violence by strangulation and battery against a law enforcement officer.”
“Andrew Taake, assaulted the police at the Capitol with bear spray and a metal whip, [is] now wanted in the State of Texas for soliciting a minor for sex, a felony carrying up to ten years in prison,” said Durbin.
“Enrique Tarrio, the head of the Proud Boys organization, a domestic terrorist group which has been identified for many years. He was convicted of seditious conspiracy on January 6 for his role in planning that riot. Here’s what he said after his release, ‘Success is going to be retribution. Now it’s our turn,’” Durbin continued.
“Stewart Rhodes, the head of the Oath Keepers, another domestic terrorist group, convicted of seditious conspiracy for his role in planning the riot, said after his pardon by Trump and release, ‘The people who did this, they need to feel the heat. They need to be put behind bars and they need to be prosecuted.’ He said January 6 should be remembered as ‘Patriots’ Day’ and said he has no regrets, ‘Because we did the right thing,’” Durbin said.
“Jacob Chansley, the so-called ‘QAnon Shaman’ posted on X after his pardon, ‘NOW I AM GONNA BUY SOME MF GUNS!!!’ and ‘EVERYTHING done in the dark WILL come to light!’”Durbin said.
Durbin concluded his remarks, noting that law enforcement may have to engage with these insurrectionists who violently attacked Capitol Police Officers on January 6, 2021.
“Sadly, for law enforcement officers across the country, they are going to face many of these people again,” Durbin concluded.
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here for TV Stations.
Earlier this week, Durbin joined more than 40 of his Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution condemning President Trump’s pardons of more than 1,500 individuals who were found guilty of assault Capitol Police Officers on January 6, 2021. Yesterday, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) brought the resolution to the floor, but its passage was blocked by U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY).
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, approximately 1,572 defendants have been federally charged with crimes associated with the attack of the U.S. Capitol on January 6th. This includes approximately 598 charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement agents or officers or obstructing those officers during a civil disorder, including approximately 171 defendants charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer. As proven in Court, the weapons used and carried on Capitol grounds during the January 6th attack include firearms; OC spray; tasers; edged weapons, including a sword, axes, hatchets, and knives; and makeshift weapons, such as destroyed office furniture, fencing, bike racks, stolen riot shields, baseball bats, hockey sticks, flagpoles, PVC piping, and reinforced knuckle gloves.
Last week, Durbin delivered a speech on the Senate floor further denouncing President Trump’s decision to pardon the violent insurrectionists.
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