The Devastating Double Standard for January 6 Rioters

"On April 14, 2026, Trump's Justice Department filed papers asking an appeals court to erase the convictions for " seditious conspiracy" from the criminal records of a dozen rioters who led the planning for the January 6 insurrection. Those convictions resulted from the most serious charges made after January 6, against the masterminds of the operation. All members of the Proud Boys or Oath Keepers, these insurrectionists had had their sentences commuted, but now, the DOJ is asking that their convictions also be wiped clean from their records."

"That same day, in a different court, the DOJ also filed paperwork indicating another J6 rioter, David Daniel, plans to plead guilty to sexually abusing two children, one under the age of 12, as well as possession of child pornography. Daniel had been pardoned by Trump on his first day back in office in January 2025-one of nearly 1,600 insurrectionists convicted or facing pending charges in connection with the Capitol insurrection."

"Four months before Trump retook office, a magistrate court judge wrote in a court report that evidence in the case against Daniel was "compelling and suggests Defendant engaged in sexual acts with two young girls in his own family," while also noting that Daniel was alleged to have taken and "kept photos of the genitalia of the victims." Two months later, in a November 2024 affidavit, investigators confirmed that sexually explicit pictures of both minor girls had been found on Daniel's electronic devices."

"Then Trump was inaugurated, and Daniel received what the White House describes as " a full, complete and unconditional pardon." He remains in jail at the orders of the magistrate, who noted "the mother of one victim (Defendant's ex-wife) appeared in court to request that Defendant not be released" and that, with two siblings in Mexico, he presents a flight risk."

The Justice Department filed papers seeking an appeals court to remove “seditious conspiracy” convictions from the criminal records of a dozen January 6 rioters involved in planning the insurrection. The convictions stemmed from the most serious charges brought after January 6 against key organizers. Several individuals had already received sentence commutations, and the DOJ requested that their convictions be wiped clean as well. On the same day, the DOJ filed paperwork in another court indicating that David Daniel planned to plead guilty to sexually abusing two children, including one under age 12, and to possessing child pornography. Daniel had received a full and unconditional pardon after being convicted or facing charges, while the magistrate noted concerns about flight risk and a victim’s mother requesting continued detention.

Read at The Nation