Attorney General Avoids Questions on Pardons for Jan. 6 Protesters' Other Crimes

Pardon Power and Pending Litigation

• 🏛️ The pardon power rests with the President, not the Department of Justice, and is currently subject to pending litigation.
• 🚫 The Attorney General stated they cannot discuss pending litigation, leading to accusations of filibustering.

Interpretation of Pardons

• 📜 The Department of Justice previously described a pardon as an act of grace that removes punishment for a committed crime, not an overturning of a conviction.
• ⚖️ It was also stated that a pardon is an executive action that mitigates or sets aside punishment.

Scope of Pardons for Unrelated Crimes

• ❓ The core question is whether pardons granted for January 6th offenses would cover separate, unrelated crimes committed by the same individuals.
• 🗣️ The Attorney General declined to offer an opinion on the extent to which pardons cover potential crimes committed outside of January 6th, diverting to other topics.

Criticism of Evasion

• 😠 The Attorney General was accused of filibustering and demeaning their responsibilities by refusing to address the serious topic of pardon scope.
• ⚠️ The interviewer emphasized the Attorney General's oath to the Constitution and their role as the chief law enforcement officer.