Ron DeSantis, the Republican presidential hopeful, criticized what he viewed as “disproportionate sentences” given to certain participants of the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol disturbance.
In a Wednesday evening discussion on Newsmax with host Eric Bolling, DeSantis was queried about the possibility of pardoning or reducing some of the lengthier sentences.
DeSantis responded, “We’ll be reviewing all such cases. Some individuals, for instance, merely entered the Capitol. If they were affiliated with BLM, they might not have faced charges.”
He elaborated, “Of course, there were individuals who potentially acted inappropriately, and while some may have exhibited aggressive behavior, terming it as an act of terrorism when it largely began as a protest that later became chaotic seems excessive. Why sentence someone for 22 years when others committing similar actions elsewhere received six months?”
In closing, DeSantis stated, “A consistent judicial standard is essential. We’ll consider pardons and commutations where necessary to ensure everyone is treated equally. As we’ve seen, many involved in the BLM disturbances faced no charges.”
Enrique Tarrio, the former chairman of the Proud Boys, received a 22-year prison sentence related to the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
This incarnation represents the most extended sentence so far in the Department of Justice’s ongoing investigations into the events of that day.
Born to Cuban immigrants, Tarrio was convicted of seditious conspiracy by a federal jury in Washington, D.C., in May. Judge Timothy Kelly handed down the sentence, although Tarrio could have faced up to 33 years in prison.
To build their case, prosecutors extensively examined private communications from individuals involved in January 6, sifting through hundreds of thousands of messages to establish that Tarrio and others had committed seditious conspiracy.
Instituted initially after the Civil War to detain Southerners who might continue to oppose the U.S. government, the charge of seditious conspiracy is rarely invoked and challenging to prove. However, the Department of Justice has successfully employed it around a dozen times concerning the Capitol incident.
