President-elect Donald Trump plans to act on the “first day” of his presidency on the cases of some defendants on Jan. 6, saying he believes members of the House of Representatives will Jan. 6 commission who investigated the 2021 Capitol riot, including Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, “should go to jail.”
In an interview that aired Sunday on NBC News “Meet the press“, Trump told host Kristen Welker that he would not order the FBI director or the attorney general to do so, but said “I think they’re going to have to look at it.”
The president-elect also wondered whether he would pardon some or all of those charged in the Capitol riots. He indicated that he will not issue a universal general pardon: “We are going to look at independent cases.” Last week, one of Trump’s Senate allies, Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri, told CBS News that he believes Trump and the next attorney general should go through the riot defendants “on a case-by-case basis.”
Trump said of those indicted and convicted on Jan. 6, “I’m going to act very quickly,” adding that he planned to act as soon as he was inaugurated in January. “First day,” he said.
CBS News’ review of Justice Department documents shows that there have been approximately 1,560 indictments as of Jan. 6, and approximately 590 of them are accused of assaulting police. More than 900 defendants have pleaded guilty.
Several of the defendants have openly predicted it pardons of Trump are imminent, including those accused of violent acts.
Over the weekend, Joseph Hutchinson, accused of beating police during the Capitol riots and a fugitive from justice for three years while eluding authorities, said in a document that he wants to be released immediately, arguing: “No one will go. to escape a judgment that does not come, I will wait for my forgiveness like any responsible person.”
Trump has not yet said whether he will allow new prosecutions, investigations or pending Capitol Hill prosecutions to continue. Hundreds more arrests were expected.
Welker also asked the president-elect if he intended to appoint “a real special prosecutor to go after the most corrupt president in the history of the United States, Joe Biden and the entire crime family,” as he said he would do last year . on Social Truth.
“No, I don’t unless I find something that I think is reasonable,” Trump said. “But that won’t be my decision.” He said he would leave it Pam Bondiwhom he intends to appoint attorney general i Kash Patelhis choice for FBI director.
He said he would let Bondi determine whether to investigate a special counsel jack smithwhich brought both federal criminal cases against Trump, one over 2020 election interference and another over documents he allegedly took after his first term in the White House to his Florida residence.
“I want him to do what he wants,” he said of the investigation into Smith, whom he called “corrupt.” “I’m not going to instruct him to do that.”
