J6 Defendants Pardoned By Trump Will Likely Come Back to Bite Him, Former Prosecutor Warns

President Donald Trump swiftly granted clemency for about 1,500 people who took part in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots, fulfilling one of his campaign promises. Among them are former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, who was serving a 22-year sentence, and Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers, serving a 18-year sentence. Hundreds more were charged with assaulting or resisting law enforcement.

The decision was celebrated by many in his base, especially those claiming the 2020 election was stolen and share Trump's assessment that Jan.6 was a "day of love," and convicted rioters were actually "hostages."

However, such sweeping clemency could end up harming Trump in the future, according to a former federal prosecutor. Ankush Khardori, now a senior writer for POLITICO Magazine, detailed in a scathing publication how that could be the case: the measure's unpopularity, the fact that it has already put him at odds with Vice President JD Vance and the chance that pardoned offenders could again commit criminal acts are among them.

Discussing the first item, Khardori recalled that almost 6 in 10 people still opposed in December Trump pardoning convicted and jailed rioters, according to a Quinnipiac poll, including two thirds of independents.

As for the second item, it leaves Vice President JD Vance in an awkward position already, considering he said violent offenders "obviously" shouldn't be pardoned. Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi, on her end, said in her confirmation hearing that she does not "agree with violence against any police officer." She said she would be willing to look at every individual case.

Khardori then anticipated that people can "safely expect a fair amount of recidivism among those who were convicted — particularly the defendants convicted of violent conduct." He argued it was not "idle speculation," considering that "several people who received pardons or commutations in the final days of Trump's first term went on to be charged with committing more crimes." "Trump and the Republicans who back this effort will not be able to hide from those developments if they come to pass," the former prosecutor said.

In fact, one of the faces of the riots and self-proclaimed "QAnon shaman" Jake Angeli-Chansley celebrated his pardon from President Donald Trump with a telling social media update.

"I JUST GOT THE NEWS FROM MY LAWYER... I GOT A PARDON BABY! THANK YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP!!! NOW I AM GONNA BUY SOME MOTHA FU*KIN GUNS!!!" Angeli-Chansley wrote in a post shared on Monday.

"I LOVE THIS COUNTRY!!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!! J6ers are getting released & JUSTICE HAS COME... EVERYTHING done in the dark WILL come to light!" he continued.

Angeli-Chansley, who donned red, white, and blue face paint, a fur hat and spear on January 6, was one of the first to storm the Capitol building and Senate chamber. He then left a note for then-Vice President Mike Pence, reading, "It's only a matter of time. Justice is coming," The Arizona Republic reported.

In that context, the Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union in the U.S., condemned Trump's decision, saying in a statement their firmly believe those convicted of killing or assaulting law enforcement officers should serve full sentences.