Governor Ron DeSantis pledged to “aggressively” look into pardoning victims of political targeting by the government, including parents, pro-lifers, and some defendants, from January 6th, if he wins the presidency in 2024.
When asked whether he would consider pardoning January 6th defendants, including Trump, who is currently facing a federal investigation over his role on January 6th on “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show” podcast, DeSantis responded in the affirmative.
“On day one, I will have folks that will get together and look at all these cases, who people are victims of weaponization or political targeting, and we will be aggressive in issuing pardons….We’re going to find examples where government’s been weaponized against disfavored groups and we will apply relief as appropriate”
Subscribe to Florida Jolt Newsletter!
The Governor went on to say that political bias can exist even when technical violations of the law are present, citing how politics may get some individuals off the hook for crimes that others would be prosecuted for, referencing the BLM riots in 2020.
DeSantis’s comments come in the wake of multiple investigations into the political weaponization of law enforcement institutions. Examples include the FBI spying on Catholics as domestic terrorist threats, labeling parents as the same for opposing school board actions, and the Durham report’s confirmation that the FBI never had enough evidence to spy on Donald Trump’s campaign over alleged ties to Russia.
“The DOJ and FBI have been weaponized; we see that,” DeSantis explained.” We see it in a variety of contexts, some of which you mentioned; some of it is the FBI going after parents going school board meetings, some of it is how they treat a pro-life demonstrate, how they don’t go after people who are attacking pro-lifers….”
However, DeSantis emphasized that while investigations would be aggressive, decisions would ultimately be made on a “case-by-case” basis instead of blanket pardons to entire groups.
“We’re going to find examples where the government’s been weaponized against disfavored groups, and we will apply relief as appropriate, but it will be done on a case-by-case basis. BE”
Join your fellow patriots and subscribe to our Youtube channel.
When pressed on if this policy applied to President Trump if the evidence presented itself. DeSantis answered indirectly but clearly, saying, “Any example of disfavored treatment based on politics or weaponization would be included in that review, no matter how small or how big,”
The Governor also tacitly separated himself from Trump, promising these pardons “in the front end” as opposed to the presidential tradition of saving pardons to the end of a term, something Trump held mainly to.
Ron DeSantis says he would consider pardoning Jan. 6 rioters and Donald Trump if he wins in 2024. pic.twitter.com/EeWkqAjg9v
— Republican Accountability (@AccountableGOP) May 25, 2023
While many conservatives and moderates applaud DeSantis’s position, predictably, Democrats have condemned the move. Along with them, Liz Cheney argued that “any candidate who says they will pardon January 6th defendants is not qualified to be President,” apparently even on an evidence-contingent and case-by-case basis.
Other stories you may want to read:
‘Enemy of the People’: Americans See Media as Untrustworthy With a Left-Wing Bias
