The US Department of Justice sent a message on Wednesday to those hoping for a pardon for their involvement in the worst violence on January 6, 2021: They will have to plead guilty to receive another.
Prosecutors appealed the request of the lawyer of the person who committed the violence, Dova Winegeart, which would have delayed his sentence and the date of his speech in hopes of receiving a presidential pardon when Mr. Donald Trump is impeached next month. A 51-year-old woman was sentenced on Monday to four months in prison for violently pulling down a pole outside the US Capitol as it was stolen by MAGA fanatics four years ago.
Prosecutors objected to Winegeart’s move and issued a warning to any rioters hoping Trump would spare them jail time, according to Politico.
“The defendant hopes to avoid this damage by obtaining a presidential pardon from the future official. But the reason for the defendant to avoid making public his sentence is not a reason to delay entering the sentence and deviate from the order of the crime,” he said.
“And, even if the plaintiff were to receive a pardon at some unspecified future date — which is speculative at this point — the pardon would not remove the bail bond,” prosecutors wrote. “In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The accused would first accept pardon, which requires a confession of guilt.”
Prosecutors wrote that the pardon would not fix the facts of the crime, it would only prevent punishment for that crime. If anything, forgiveness is an admission of guilt.
Mr. Trump has always promised to pardon about 1,600 people who are accused of their involvement in the violence. Many have tried to have their sentences delayed until Mr. Trump takes office.
Prosecutors objected to the suggestion that they comply with Trump’s orders.
“The criminal justice system cannot function in such ignorance. Indeed, it is not the court’s role or role to speculate on presidential pardons, and it is not appropriate for the Court to suspend the operation of criminal proceedings based on that speculation,” the prosecutors wrote.
“If the future President cannot, today, grant a pardon, this Court cannot extend the grace period that the Executive may or may not extend in the future… to violate the existing,” he added.