Media: Capitol rioter rejects Trump pardon, citing responsibility for actions

At least one more individual convicted in connection with the 2021 US Capitol attack has publicly rejected a pardon from former president Donald Trump, stating that his actions were not “pardonable.”

Jason Riddle, a US Navy veteran, told New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) in an interview published on January 24 that he had no desire to accept the clemency offered by Trump, who had issued blanket pardons to 1,500 people charged or convicted in the Capitol attack following his re-election in November, Caliber.Az reports via The Guardian.

“It’s almost like [Trump] was trying to say it didn’t happen. And it happened. I did those things, and they weren’t pardonable,” Riddle said. “I don’t want the pardon. And I … reject the pardon.”

Riddle had entered the Senate parliamentarian’s office during the attack, where he drank a bottle of wine, stole a book, and caused damage. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in April 2022, receiving a 90-day prison sentence and a $750 fine. The 6 January 2021 riot, which attempted to overturn Joe Biden’s election victory, was linked to several deaths, including the suicides of law enforcement officers.

Riddle is not alone in his decision to refuse a pardon. Pamela Hemphill, a 71-year-old who participated in the attack and served a 60-day prison sentence, similarly rejected Trump’s clemency. Speaking to The Guardian, Hemphill said accepting the pardon would feed “propaganda that [the attack] was a peaceful protest.” She also plans to file a formal letter to decline the pardon.

Riddle explained his rationale further, noting that accepting a pardon could complicate his future employment prospects. “I’m thinking down the road [if] an employer looks in my background, they see misdemeanors … with a presidential pardon – I think that tends to draw more attention,” he said.

Legal experts are divided on whether such pardons can be rejected. While the US Supreme Court has ruled in the past that pardons can be declined, some legal scholars argue that commutations and pardons do not require the recipient’s consent.

Riddle, who served in the Navy from 2006 to 2010 and has worked in various roles, including as a corrections officer, stopped supporting Trump after serving his prison sentence. He criticised Trump’s later calls for protests in response to legal challenges, saying, “What are you doing, Trump? Remember what happened at the [Capitol] riot? Someone might get hurt.”