The top Senate Republican said Tuesday that he does not back the idea of pardoning those who face punishment for the Jan. 6. riot at the Capitol last year.
“My view is I would not be in favor of shortening any of the sentences for any other people who pleaded guilty to crimes,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said.
The Kentucky Republican made the statement after a reporter asked if McConnell sides with former President Donald Trump, who said last week that if he is elected president again, then “we will treat those people from Jan. 6 fairly, and if it requires pardons, we will give them pardons because they are being treated so unfairly.”
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McConnell, who publicly blamed Trump for inciting the riot by pushing the claim that the election was rigged in favor of President Joe Biden, didn’t condemn every participant who has been charged, noting that trials have not concluded.
But McConnell said the 165 people who have taken guilty pleas should be fully punished.
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“What we saw here on Jan. 6 was an effort to prevent the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to another, which had never happened before in our country,” McConnell said.
