Skip to content

Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Senate Democrats’ Resolution Condemning President Trump’s Pardons Of Violent January 6th Rioters

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on the resolution to condemn President Trump’s pardons of individuals involved in the violent January 6th insurrection and to urge Senate Republicans to stand on the side of democracy and law enforcement. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Today, Senate Democrats will go to the Senate floor with a resolution that says something very simple: we condemn pardoning individuals guilty of assaulting Capitol Police.

I thank my good friend, Patty Murray, for leading this important resolution. No Republican should block it. It should be a no-brainer to say people who attack police don’t deserve pardons.

By handing out these pardons to convicted criminals, President Trump is effectively saying: you want to attack our brave police officers? That’s okay.

How are these pardons supposed to make Americans better off? How does pardoning lawless rioters help people with affording groceries or paying rent or for medications?

Pardoning rioters is not what Americans want the President to be prioritizing, even though it was one of his first acts. They want to see answers to problems that impact them: inflation, good paying jobs, a better future.

Our Capitol Police, meanwhile, deserve nothing less than our full and steadfast support for everything they do to keep us safe every single day.

The very least – the very least – we can do for them as Senators is declare that those convicted of attacking Capitol Police officers do not – do not – deserve a presidential pardon.

###