Those involved in the January 6 Capitol probe, including a woman convicted for threatening to shoot FBI agents in social media posts, have received additional pardons from President Donald Trump.
The lady, Suzanne Ellen Kaye, received an 18-month prison sentence for threatening FBI agents online after they had gotten in touch with her after receiving a report that she might have been at the Capitol. Trump also pardoned her and clemency was granted to another person who was still in jail on a firearm charge related to the January 6 investigation.
White House representatives defended the measures, pointing to First Amendment rights and describing Kaye’s case as one of harsh punishment. The pardons, according to critics, cast doubt on responsibility and consistency in cases involving the Capitol breach.
As his political network continues to deal with the wider repercussions of the insurrection-investigation, this most recent round of clemency highlights Trump’s ongoing use of his power to step in on high-profile cases involving January 6.