BREAKING: Big Win For J6 Political Prisoners

Following Donald Trump’s triumphant return to the White House, J6 defendants are seizing hope in his promise to issue pardons, filing motions to delay their cases in anticipation of compassion from the president-elect. Within hours of Trump’s victory announcement on Wednesday, defendants began submitting requests to suspend trials for their cases, seeking relief from a justice system that many feel has unfairly targeted them.

Among the first to request a delay was Christopher Carnell, who faces a felony obstruction charge. Carnell’s attorney, Marina Medvin, highlighted Trump’s commitment to these defendants, arguing that Carnell, a young nonviolent Capitol entrant, deserves to see his case through under the new administration.

“Mr. Carnell, who was an 18-year-old nonviolent entrant into the Capitol on January 6, is expecting to be relieved of the criminal prosecution that he is currently facing,” Medvin said, referencing Trump’s campaign promises.

However, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell swiftly denied Carnell’s request, showing the challenge these defendants may face in the final months of Biden’s administration.

The Justice Department, under Biden, has pursued January 6 defendants with what many view as excessive zeal, charging over 1,500 individuals and sentencing more than 1,000 to jail or home detention. Trump’s promises of clemency provide renewed hope to those who believe they were unjustly targeted for their beliefs. The DOJ has yet to comment on how it will handle cases in Biden’s last months, as judges continue to deny defendants’ requests to pause proceedings until Trump takes office and has a chance to review their cases.

Trump’s commitment has been consistent: he has condemned the harsh prosecutions of January 6 participants as politically motivated and vowed to review each case individually, assuring supporters that he would “absolutely” consider pardoning “every single one of them.” However, in a recent campaign statement to NBC News, Trump’s team clarified that these pardons would be handled on a case-by-case basis, signaling his intent to bring justice to those who have been, in his words, “wrongfully imprisoned by Crooked Joe Biden’s Justice Department.”

Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s Campaign National Press Secretary, reinforced this commitment. “As President Trump has promised, he will pardon January 6th protestors who are wrongfully imprisoned by Crooked Joe Biden’s Justice Department, and those decisions will be determined on a case-by-case basis when he is back in the White House,” Leavitt said. Her comments highlight Trump’s intention to address the individual stories of those swept up in what many view as politically charged prosecutions.

The flurry of appeals across the courts showcases the renewed optimism among defendants and their legal teams. In one of these motions, defendant Anna Lichnowski requested her sentencing be delayed, citing Trump’s promise to provide leniency.

Like Carnell, Lichnowski hopes for relief from a new administration that values the truth about January 6 and will give fair consideration of her case. Despite having their initial requests denied, Carnell and Lichnowski’s attorneys argue that Trump’s pledges offer valid and pressing reasons for a delay in proceedings.

Throughout his campaign, Trump expressed disgust at what he describes as the partisan and politically motivated handling of the January 6 cases. “They’re all political hacks,” he said during one of his speeches, criticizing the makeup of the January 6 Committee and claiming it destroyed evidence that would have revealed the truth. His comments have resonated with many who believe the Justice Department has been weaponized to punish political opponents.

In May 2023, Trump stated at a CNN Town Hall that he was “inclined to pardon many of them,” condemning the excessive sentences imposed on ordinary Americans. He argued that “they were convicted by a cruel system,” and that nonviolent defendants deserve another look at their cases. This message of potential clemency sent a powerful signal to the January 6 defendants and their families, many of whom have endured years of legal battles and significant personal costs.

In July, Trump reiterated his intentions at the National Association of Black Journalists panel, saying he would “absolutely” pardon those he viewed as innocent. His assurances made it clear that he intends to address what he describes as miscarriages of justice and politically motivated prosecutions under the Biden administration. As his inauguration approaches, Trump’s statements have only increased calls for compassion and requests to delay cases in anticipation of his intervention.

Trump’s campaign message has been clear: he does not believe the Justice Department’s handling of the cases has been fair, and he intends to provide a corrective by reviewing cases individually.

From the start, he has defended these defendants as ordinary Americans who should not have been harshly treated. “This is about equal justice under the law,” Trump said on the campaign trail, emphasizing his commitment to those he believes have been wrongfully punished.