Riots & Pardons
BLM/Antifa/Jan 6th/Trump/Biden/Violence
In the last week former President Joe Biden commuted the sentence of a cop killer and issued preemptive pardons to members of his family and Administrative officials. President Trump countered move that by issuing pardons and commutations for approximately 1500 Jan 6th rioters.
Many of these commutations and pardons involve cases where police officers were the victims of violence and therefore, the opinions from law enforcement professionals on these matters are at the forefront of the national discussion.
It is rare that pundits and politicians ask police officers how they feel about an incident of importance - we should not squander the opportunity to be heard.
This is an attempt to analyze these incidents objectively - through a pro-police lens.
I expect disagreement - so let’s battle it out in the comment section.
My Bias
I voted for Donald Trump.
I far prefer Trump (and his policies) over Kamala Harris - for too many reasons to list.
I believe that a Trump Administration will be better (overall) for police officers than a Harris or Biden Administration.
Nothing that has occurred over the past week has caused me to regret my vote or change my mind.
My Rules
Peaceful protest is important & necessary and protected under the 1st amendment.
All rioting is illegal and bad for society.
Anyone who assaults/batters police officers and/or commits property damage should be investigated, arrested, and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
I have zero sympathy for these offenders.
Prosecutions should be based on provable violations of law - the ideology behind the aberrant behavior should not factor into the decision to prosecute or sentence.
Prosecute the crime - not the bad ideas behind the crime.
January 6th
Fair Comparison
The BLM/Antifa riots of 2020 occurred between May 26, 2020 and lasted approximately six months. This consisted of approximately 9000 demonstrations across the United States.
The January 6th riot occurred on January 6th, 2021 and lasted a few hours.
The comparison between these two events is fair because they occurred in close proximity to one another and therefore, the response from politicians and law enforcement will reasonably be compared and contrasted whether we like it or not. Also, comparing these two historical events is an honesty barometer to measure if your favorite pundits are being objective or partisan.
The Stats
At least 20 people were killed during the BLM/Antifa riots (including David Dorn - a 77 year-old retired police officer who was murdered as he interrupted looters who were burglarizing a pawn shop during a riot in St. Louis, MO).
There was one homicide on January 6th - an unarmed protestor (Ashli Babbitt) was fatally shot by a Capital police officer. Within thirty-six hours, four others also died - one overdose and three from natural causes (including a police officer (Brian Sicknick) who died of natural causes the next day after being assaulted by rioters).
Over 2000 police officers were battered and injured during the 2020 BLM/Antifa riots.
Approximately 140 police officers were battered and injured during the Jan 6th riot.
There was nearly 2 billion dollars in property damage caused during the BLM/Antifa riots of 2020.
There was approximately 2.73 million dollars in property damage caused during the Jan 6th riot.
Lies
Both President Biden and President Trump were less than truthful in their assertions on how they would implement the pardon process.
Biden
President Biden publicly stated that he would:
Not pardon his son (Hunter Biden).
Not issue preemptive pardons for his family members/friends.
President Biden did pardon Hunter.
On his last day in office Biden issued preemptive pardons for five members of his family, Anthony Fauci, Mark Milley, and members of the House January 6th Committee.
Trump
During the campaign President Trump stated that he would:
Review each Jan 6th defendant’s case individually.
Not pardon those who committed violence.
This idea was echoed by JD Vance and Pam Bondi.
President Trump did not review each case individually.
President Trump pardoned virtually all January 6th defendants - including those that committed violence against police officers
Daniel “D.J.” Rodriguez who shocked Officer Michael Fanone with a stun gun was included in the pardons.
Daniel Ball who threw an explosive device into the Lower West Terrace entrance - detonating on 25 officers was included in the pardons.
My Take
Biden
I understand President Biden issuing a pardon to his son (Hunter). We all knew that he would do this if Trump won, and he should not have lied about it. This was always his intention. I do not care about the pardon - I care about the lie.
I am opposed to President Biden commuting the sentence of Leonard Peltier - who was convicted of murdering two FBI Agents in 1975. It is difficult to be opposed to Trump issuing pardons for those who assaulted police officers on Jan 6th - if you do not oppose Biden commuting the sentence for a man who murdered two federal agents. Biden supporters have zero moral high ground if they fail to criticize this.
I am opposed to President Biden issuing preemptive pardons for his family and friends. Specifically, because President Biden had previously stated that this type of action is a demonstration and admission of guilt - he said that when there was fear that President Trump would pardon his family and friends as he left office (but Trump never did).
Trump
It has been estimated that of the 1600 January 6th prosecutions - that 170 people were accused/convicted of using a deadly or dangerous weapons (such as a fire extinguisher, stun gun, or bear spray) against police officers. Those 170 are the only cases I care about and strongly disagree with a pardon. I do not give a sh*t about the other defendants - pardon them all. I acknowledge that (aside from the those that committed violence against police) many were overzealously prosecuted as compared to their BLM/Antifa brethren.
BLM/Antifa riots
Final Thoughts
We should be able to objectively recognize the difference between a protest and a riot. And with that - we should always aim to tolerate the protest and oppose the riot.
Individuals should be prosecuted for their behavior - not for the bad ideas that fueled the actions.
It does not matter to me if you believe the lie that there is “systematic racism” in policing or the lie that the 2020 election was “stolen” from Donald Trump. I only care about your actions and action should be the limit of prosecutors as well. Holding bad ideas and irrational thoughts is not a crime. Prosecute the illegal behavior - not the bad ideas.
This last plea for objectivity goes to my fellow Trump-supporting police officers - as this is the demographic that I belong to and also who I have been debating most of the week:
If Joe Biden had issued pardons to BLM & Antifa rioters who assaulted police officers during the summer of 2020 - the entire Right would be correctly united against it.
I am asking that you apply the same logic and principles.
Opposing violence against police officers should be the standard.
Do not make moral exceptions for Jan 6th rioters who violently attacked police officers.
Good article, but it would have been helpful if you discussed the difference between pardons and commutations. My understanding is that a pardon is basically forgiveness for the crime and may restore rights, whereas a commutation reduces the sentence but does not forgive and leaves the conviction in place. There apparently were several J6 rioters convicted of violent acts who received commutations (not pardons), ie, they were freed after serving 3-4 years in jail. One can argue that serving 3-4 years was enough for the crime. Harder to justify a pardon for a violent act, but I would want to know the full details. Question: do you know if any J6 persons convicted of violent acts received actual pardons?
I would like to think that Trump's pardons, followed Biden's (and the relative silence about them).
That is, that he would have, in fact, looked at each case and decided same individually.
I also think that the pardons/commutations were based at least in part on the charges. That is, even those who assaulted coppers I think we're overcharged, especially with seditious conspiracy. Many of the J6ers, including at least some who did violence on cops, didn't even know each other, so how could there be a conspiracy.
Memory serving even Smith, the POS that he is, said that The Donald couldn't have been charged in this manner. Thus, again, where was the conspiracy?
I fully agree with the author. Violence against cops can never be tolerated and must always be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.
Let us hope that The Donald's support for cops which seems to be true and unashamed in many of his XOs continues.