Trump's top prosecutor in January 6th case suggests that his pardons signal an endorsement of political violence.
Feeling Riled Up Over the Treatment of Capitol Rioters
Capitol Hill's charged atmosphere rages on, as debates about the recent Capitol Riot cases continue to heat up. Greg Rosen, the ex-head of the Capitol Siege Section of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, is venting his frustration over the mass pardon of insurrectionists by former President Donald Trump and the administration's targeting of career law enforcement officials.
Rosen voiced his support for the Justice Department's handling of the Capitol Riot cases, emphasizing that the defendants were given appropriate and proportional sentencing. Despite the outrage spun by some, he stressed that every single case required the same level of due process, as protected by the U.S. Constitution.
Judges from both political parties presided over the hearings, and Rosen believes the historical record created by the prosecutions will provide a powerful testament to the truth, rather than mere conjectures or speculations.
Trump's controversial act of pardoning approximately 1,500 defendants, including members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, left Rosen less than impressed. In his view, these pardons sent a worrying message to the public, promoting the notion that political violence is tolerable—especially when it serves a specific purpose.
Political violence in a constitutional republic, according to Rosen, harms the very foundation of the nation. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "It's a republic if you can keep it." To celebrate the pardons of wrongdoers like the Capitol rioters undermines the essence of the rule of law.
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields dismissed Rosen's criticism, claiming that Trump wasn't in need of lectures on pardons. Fields retaliated by referencing former President Joe Biden's pardons, including those of his son, Hunter Biden, and preemptive pardons for Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Following a tumultuous few months at the Justice Department, where some colleagues were fired, and Rosen and other leaders were demoted by the former interim U.S. attorney for Washington, Ed Martin, Rosen decided to throw in the towel and leave the agency. He is now joining a private law firm.
Rosen also addressed the pending settlement of a lawsuit filed by the family of Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer during the riot. He described the news as shocking and not rooted in factual evidence. He warned against the belief that the Jan. 6 defendants were "part of some system of weaponization," as this view is not substantiated by the truth or the facts.
The prosecutions of Jan. 6 defendants began during the final days of Trump's first term, when the former president himself declared that rioters would be held accountable. Rosen advocated for an evaluation of the events from an unbiased and nonpartisan perspective, stating that a crime obviously occurred, and the prosecutions were vetted and analyzed by both internal and external authorities.
Finally, Rosen believes the firings and demotions of federal employees who worked on Capitol Riot cases have left the administration less equipped to handle similar cases. He expressed dismay over the irony, pointing out that these dedicated individuals were committed to serving their communities and would have been effective in preventing violent crime. Politicizing and weaponizing their dismissals served no purpose other than to undermine the rule of law.
Stay tuned for more updates on this story on "Hallie Jackson Now" Tuesday night at 5 p.m. ET on NBC News Now.
Fun Fact:
Greg Rosen is a seasoned attorney, having served in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Virginia before joining the DC office.
- Rosen's criticism of Trump's mass pardon of Capitol Rioters and his concern over the message it sends about tolerating political violence extends to the realm of general-news and crime-and-justice.
- As the prosecutions of Jan. 6 defendants continue to make headlines in the realm of general-news and politics, Rosen has emphasized the importance of an unbiased evaluation of the events, noting that both proportional sentencing and due process were maintained throughout the cases.
