Will Trump Pardon January 6 Rioters? Here’s How the Pardon System Works.

Four years ago, on January 6th, 2021, our U.S. Capitol was under siege by supporters of Donald Trump who tried to stop a joint session of Congress from certifying the electoral votes of the 2020 presidential election. Fast forward to 2025, Donald J. Trump is about to take office as President and the fate of those convicted of January 6th crimes lies in his hands.

In this episode, Craig is joined by Kimberly Wehle, professor of law at the University of Baltimore School of Law and author of the book, Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works—and Why. Craig & Kim take a look back at January 6th, the possibility of Trump pardoning those convicted of federal crimes stemming from January 6th, and the implications this could have on our society and our legal system.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Los Angeles Times: Hundreds of Capitol Riot Prosecutions in Limbo as D.C. Court Awaits Trump’s White House Return By Alanna Durkin Richer and Michael Kunzelman 

 Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works—and Why by Kimberly Wehle