Donalds: DOJ ‘supercharging’ Jan. 6 cases, defends Trump’s pardon promise

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) attacked the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Sunday for its treatment of people convicted of crimes in connection to the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, defending former President Trump’s promise to pardon them.

Donalds claimed in an ABC “This Week” interview with George Stephanopoulos that Trump’s pardon commitment isn’t a blanket pardon but a more measured review of cases.

“What we do understand is that the Department of Justice under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, they did massively push up charges on people who protested at the Capitol and some who rioted at the Capitol on Jan. 6,” he said. “So, what he’s talking about is doing a case-by-case review.”

Trump has repeatedly said he will pardon those convicted of Jan. 6 crimes. In an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention last week, Trump said the pardon would include those who assaulted police officers, which Donalds denied.

“George, what I’m telling you is he’s going to go back and look at these cases because it is without a doubt — and look, Jan. 6 is a very painful memory in our country,” Donalds said. “But it is without a doubt that the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia was supercharging these people because of political viewpoints.”

Stephanopoulos repeated Trump’s quote multiple times, emphasizing that he included those who assaulted police in his promise to pardon, though Donalds again denied it. 

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) similarly defended Trump on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.

“I believe President Trump will take a look at it and he’ll do what he feels like is best. I have my complete faith in President Trump that he pays attention to every little detail, and he will do what’s right for the American people,” he said.