Governor Pritzker’s Partisan Lawfare Against President Trump’s J6 Pardons

As Rich Lowry and I have discussed on our podcast, I believe it was a disgrace for President Trump to pardon Capitol riot defendants who either assaulted police officers or caused property damage. That category does not account for the majority of the roughly 1,600 January 6 cases, but it represents a big number — probably around a third. Remember, over 140 officers were injured, many seriously. (Democratic claims that police died in the attack are false. They will remain false no matter how incessantly they are repeated, including as recently as last Thursday’s confirmation hearing for Kash Patel, Trump’s FBI director nominee.)

That said, it is quite galling to find Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker taking steps to block J6 defendants from state employment, in order to protest and (however marginally) undercut the clemency effects of Trump’s pardons. The Democrat’s toeing of the criminal-friendly, progressive line has contributed to Chicago’s status as one of the nation’s highest crime cities.

About the Author

Andrew C. McCarthy

Andrew C. McCarthy is a senior fellow at National Review Institute, an NR contributing editor, and author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency.

Featured Tags

As Rich Lowry and I have discussed on our podcast, I believe it was a disgrace for President Trump to pardon Capitol riot defendants who either assaulted police officers or caused property damage. That category does not account for the majority of the roughly 1,600 January 6 cases, but it represents a big number — probably around a third. Remember, over 140 officers were injured, many seriously. (Democratic claims that police died in the attack are false. They will remain false no matter how incessantly they are repeated, including as recently as last Thursday’s confirmation hearing for Kash Patel, Trump’s FBI director nominee.)

That said, it is quite galling to find Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker taking steps to block J6 defendants from state employment, in order to protest and (however marginally) undercut the clemency effects of Trump’s pardons. The Democrat’s toeing of the criminal-friendly, progressive line has contributed to Chicago’s status as one of the nation’s highest crime cities.

About the Author

Andrew C. McCarthy

Andrew C. McCarthy is a senior fellow at National Review Institute, an NR contributing editor, and author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency.