President Donald Trump on Jan. 20 pardoned more than 1,500 men and women charged with participating in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, during the certification of Joe Biden’s election win – when thousands stormed the building amid his claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged against him.
Trump issued “a full, complete and unconditional pardon” to all individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the U.S. Capitol that day, including people who assaulted law enforcement officers.
Robert Ballesteros, 28, of Mahopac, posted a video on Instagram of himself inside the Capitol wearing a black mask, saying he had “made my stand.” He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of parading, demonstrating or picketing inside the Capitol, and was sentenced in April 2022 to 36 months of probation and 40 hours of community service.
Anthony Vuksanaj, 52, of Mahopac, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor parading, demonstrating or picketing and was sentenced in April 2022 to three years of probation that included 42 days in prison and three months of home confinement. He was detained June 6, 2020 by FBI agents in connection to a robbery at knifepoint.
Robert Chapman, 51, of Carmel, was arrested for illegally entering the Capitol after reportedly boasting about it on a dating app. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor parading, demonstrating or picketing, and in May 2022 was sentenced to 18 months of probation – including three months of electronic monitoring – and 60 hours of community service.
Gregory Purdy, 24, and his 22-year-old brother Matthew, both of Kent, were arrested in November after turning themselves into the FBI in Orange County. Gregory faced seven charges including the assault of a police officer and civil disorder. Matthew faced four charges for allegedly participating in the riot with his brother, and uncle, Robert Turner – who was arrested in California two weeks after his nephews surrendered to authorities.
Hudson Valley Congressman Mike Lawler has disagreed with the president’s action, calling the insurrection wrong.
“It never should have happened,” he said. “I long believe anyone causing violence at the Capitol … must be held to account for their conduct. I always believed that and don’t believe we should be pardoning those individuals. If there is a specific case where someone was overcharged, that should be reviewed, but the reality is if someone committed violence at our Capitol on Jan. 6, they must deal with the consequences.”
In a statement Jan. 21, a spokesman said Lawler’s stance hasn’t changed, but that, “as President Biden proved by preemptively pardoning his entire family, the president has absolute pardon authority.”
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