Donald Trump’s pardons for Jan. 6 rioters were wildly unpopular and controversial for a great many reasons, including a straightforward, practical consideration: The president let a bunch of criminals, including felons convicted of violent crimes, back out onto American streets.
Those concerned about these criminals committing other crimes were right to worry. KCRA, the NBC affiliate in Sacramento, reported late last week:
A Sacramento County man, who benefited from the sweeping pardons by President Donald Trump for his participation in the Jan. 6 insurrection, was convicted by a federal jury for receiving child sexual abuse material. Kyle Travis Colton, 37, was found guilty of one count of receiving child pornography, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez. Court documents and evidence presented at trial revealed that a law enforcement search of Colton’s home uncovered ‘copious’ images and videos depicting graphic sexual abuse of young children, officials said.
Colton had argued that Trump’s pardon should have extended to cover his child porn case. That didn’t work, and he’s now facing a lengthy prison sentence.
The jury verdict in California came two weeks after Edward Kelly, another pardoned Jan. 6 rioter, was convicted of plotting to kill FBI agents who’d investigated his Jan. 6 conduct. He, too, claimed that his crimes should’ve been covered under the presidential pardon, and after that argument was rejected, Kelly was found guilty and is now poised to spend the rest of his life in federal prison.
(Incidentally, when the Justice Department announced Kelly’s conviction, the press statement made no reference to his Jan. 6 crimes. What a curious oversight.) They have plenty of company. Zachary Jordan Alam, months after receiving a Jan. 6 pardon, was arrested in connection with an alleged home invasion. Andrew Taake, weeks after receiving a Jan. 6 pardon, was arrested for allegedly soliciting a minor. Emily Hernandez, weeks after receiving a Jan. 6 pardon, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for driving drunk and killing a passenger in another car. Occasionally, the president boasts that under his leadership, “We are going to have law and order.” It might be a little easier to take such rhetoric seriously if the Republican hadn’t given so many “get out of jail free” cards to so many criminals.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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