Claim about pardons for Capitol rioters false
In the aftermath of the storming of the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6 by a violent mob of Trump supporters, federal authorities have started to round up and arrest those involved in the insurrection.
Five people died in the riot, including one police officer, and at least 55 criminal cases tied to the riot have been filed by the Justice Department. That number is expected to grow in the coming weeks.
Some have speculated that President Donald Trump could use his remaining days in office to pardon the insurrectionists. One Parler account claiming to be the official page of the “WH Office of Pardon Attorney” states Trump is “strongly considering” it.
The parley — a post on Parler — which has been shared as a screenshot to Facebook, asks those who are seeking a pardon to send their name, city and list of crimes they committed.
“The President needs this list by TUESDAY before the House can vote to impeach again,” the post reads. It is signed “Rosalind,” as in Acting Pardon Attorney Rosalind Sargent-Burns.
USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook
user for comment.
The post claiming to come from a Justice Department official is fake, and no pardons have been given to those involved in the riot.
Justice Department: Claims false
While Sargent-Burns is a pardon attorney for the Justice Department, the Parler post did not come from her.
“Please be advised that the information circulating on social media claiming to be from Acting Pardon Attorney Rosalind Sargent-Burns is inauthentic and should not be taken seriously,” the Justice Department said in a statement Saturday.
The statement added that the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney is not on social media and it “is not involved in any efforts to pardon individuals or groups involved with the heinous acts that took place this week in and around the U.S. Capitol.”
During his presidency, Trump has announced 94 acts of clemency, USA TODAY reported. Those pardoned include Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, political ally Roger Stone, and Charles Kushner – the father of Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law
and senior adviser – who was convicted of preparing false tax returns.
Series of arrests
Rioters who breached the U.S. Capitol have been arrested and the Department of Justice announced it was investigating the death of Capitol Police Officer
Brian Sicknick as a homicide.
A West Virginia state lawmaker who livestreamed himself with rioters was charged with entering a restricted area of the U.S. Capitol, the Justice Department said on Friday, according to USA TODAY.
Richard Barnett of Gravette, Arkansas, who was pictured sitting at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk, has also been arrested and charged, the department said in a statement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia had filed 17 cases in federal court and at least 40 others in the Superior Court by Saturday, the Associated Press reported. Cases in Superior Court have to do with curfew violations and gun crimes, while those in federal court involve violent entry, disorderly conduct and assaulting a federal law enforcement officer.
Our rating: False
The Department of Justice confirmed that the post is fake and that the department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney does not have a social media presence.