(NewsNation) — After President Donald Trump signed an executive order pardoning Jan. 6 rioters from their actions at the Capitol, some are pushing for pardons for other crimes that they had previously been charged with or convicted of, according to the Wall Street Journal.
One man, Edward Kelley, was pardoned for assaulting police at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. In Nov. 2024, he was convicted by a jury for conspiring to murder the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents who investigated his Jan. 6 case.
According to WSJ, there was evidence that showed Kelley had a list of targets but is arguing that this case should be thrown out as well.
Agents sue FBI, DOJ amid fears of retaliation over work on Jan. 6 cases
Other defendants are now arguing that they should be absolved of other crimes, like illegal gun possession and child pornography, that were found during the Capitol riot investigations.
Federal agents, others from Jan. 6 investigations concerned
The WSJ has reported that federal agents and others who were involved in investigating the Jan. 6 cases have expressed fear of retaliation. Lawsuits were filed at the beginning of February against the Justice Department to prevent the list of names being released, according to the Associated Press.
However, the Justice Department did agree to refrain from identifying any agents whose conduct is under review as Trump’s administration examines the Jan. 6 investigations.
FILE – Violent insurrectionists breach the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. A former government employee has been charged with repeatedly submitting fake tips to the FBI reporting that several of his co-workers in the intelligence community were part of a mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Court records unsealed on Friday, May 3, 2024, say that Miguel Eugenio Zapata was arrested in Chantilly, Virginia, on Thursday on a charge that he made false statements to law enforcement. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
Despite this, one defendant posted on X, asking fellow Jan. 6 defendants to name their prosecutors, the WSJ found. That post included the names of at least 124 individuals who were involved in any of the Jan. 6 convictions.
It was mainly prosecutors, but also a few judges and FBI agents. The post included images and disparaging remarks about these officials, as well as demands for accountability.
Do the Jan. 6 pardons count for other crimes?
Bernadette Meyler, a law professor at Stanford University, told the WSJ that the language that was used in the pardon was specific to events around Jan. 6. However, defendants and their lawyers are still arguing that is not the case.
In Florida, Daniel Ball has been charged with illegally possessing a gun and ammunition due to prior felony convictions, including for domestic-violence battery by strangulation, according to NewsNation affiliate, The Hill.
FILE – Supporters of President Donald Trump climb the west wall of the the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
His lawyer, Amy Collins, wants prosecutors to drop the charge, saying it came from a search that happened when he was arrested for the Jan. 6 crimes that were pending when Trump pardoned him.
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“I don’t see how they could in good faith say this case is not covered by the presidential proclamation, because it only came about because of the Jan. 6 case,” Collins said of prosecutors, according to WSJ.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tampa said, “The government’s position is that the pardon does not apply to Mr. Ball’s conduct in the Middle District of Florida.”
