Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Bennie Thompson, Don Beyer, Jamie Raskin, & Family of USCP Officer Brian Sicknick Hold Press Conference Condemning January 6th Pardons & DOJ/FBI Purges
Today, Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Bennie Thompson, Don Beyer, Jamie Raskin and the family of USCP Officer Brian Sicknick held a press conference condemning Donald Trump’s pardons of violent criminals who assaulted police officers and attacked the Capitol on January 6th, 2021. The press conference participants also condemned recent orders from the Trump Administration to purge the FBI and DOJ of nonpartisan career prosecutors simply because they worked on the January 6th cases.
Video of Press Conference HERE
Rep. Watson Coleman led her colleagues in introducing a House resolution condemning the pardons, which is co-sponsored by 113 Democratic House Members so far.
Trump’s pardons and commutations included individuals with lengthy, violent criminal histories. People with previous convictions for domestic violence, assault, possession of child pornography, and rape were among those released from prison by Donald Trump.
“Over 140 officers were injured during the attack. Six officers died, including a man from South River, NJ, Officer Brian Sicknick,” said Congresswoman Watson Coleman. “Officer Sicknick made the ultimate sacrifice. Pardoning his attackers is an insult to his memory, an affront to his family, and a disgrace to the Constitution that he swore to uphold, and gave his life to defend.”
“Make no mistake, when President Trump pardoned more than 1500 criminals and put them back on our streets, he told us one thing: that he has total contempt for our justice system and our democracy,” said Congressman Bennie Thompson, former Chair of the January 6th Committee. “But we will never allow Donald Trump and his minions to rewrite the history of January 6th. I thank my friend, Congresswoman Watson Coleman, for introducing this much-needed resolution.”
“Officer Brian Sicknick embodied the service, sacrifice, and patriotism that is the best of our country,” said Congressman Don Beyer who represented Officer Brian Sicknick in Congress. “Donald Trump’s pardon of the criminals who attacked him and the other officers who defended the Capitol on January 6th is unforgivable. Trump betrayed law enforcement, and is now compounding that betrayal by purging those who investigated and prosecuted the violent crimes committed in his name. The criminals Trump pardoned are already committing new crimes – and he owns that.”
“On January 20th, 2025, a convicted felon and twice impeached politician pardoned approximately 1600 criminals responsible for the destruction of property and the destruction of the lives of law enforcement and their families such as mine.” said Ken Sicknick, Brother of USCP Officer Brian Sicknick. “ I will continue to speak out about the injustices I see being done to my family, to Brian's service and memory, and to his brothers and sisters in law enforcement. I will not let the true events of January 6th be forgotten or deliberately erased from history.”
The resolution has been cosponsored by 113 members of Congress. The resolution can be read here.