The top-ranking Justice Department prosecutor in Washington, DC, who oversaw the prosecution of more than 1,500 people charged in connection to the US Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, emphasized that President-elect Donald Trump should not pardon anyone involved in the insurrection. Matthew Graves, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, firmly stated that no one prosecuted by his office should be pardoned.
Graves, who served for over three years and was appointed in the aftermath of the riot, expressed concern over the potential pardons that Trump might issue to individuals convicted for their roles in the attack. Despite the looming possibility of pardons, Graves stressed that the extensive efforts of his office in prosecuting the January 6 defendants were not in vain.
He highlighted that the successful prosecutions, which constituted the largest criminal investigation in Justice Department history, had established a significant historical record and upheld the rule of law. Graves maintained that even if pardons were granted to the defendants, the impact of the prosecutions would endure, and the accountability for their actions would not be erased.
Graves underscored that a pardon does not negate the events that transpired on January 6, asserting that the consequences of the insurrection cannot be erased by executive clemency. His unwavering stance against pardoning the individuals involved in the Capitol attack reflects a commitment to upholding the integrity of the legal process and ensuring accountability for those responsible.
