US DoJ files for overturning January 6 convictions for far-right groups’ members
TL;DR
The US Department of Justice is seeking to overturn convictions for members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, previously found guilty of seditious conspiracy related to the January 6 Capitol siege. This move follows the Trump administration's efforts to absolve those involved in the Capitol riot.
Key points
- US DOJ requests to overturn convictions for Proud Boys and Oath Keepers
- Convictions relate to January 6 Capitol siege and seditious conspiracy
- Key figures include Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Stewart Rhodes
The US Department of Justice has requested that a federal appeals judge overturn convictions for members of far-right groups Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, who were previously found guilty of seditious conspiracy in connection with the violent siege of the US capitol in 2021.
Jeanine Pirro, the Donald Trump-appointed US attorney for the District of Columbia, signed separate motions on Tuesday to vacate convictions for a slew of individuals, including the Proud Boys’ leaders Ethan Nordean and Joseph Biggs as well as Stewart Rhodes, a former attorney who founded the Oath Keepers’ militia.
The filings represent the latest move the Trump administration has made to absolve the January 6 rioters, a group composed largely of the president’s supporters who stormed the US capitol in a desperate attempt to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory over Trump.
Several members of the two far-right groups were later sentenced to prison for their attempted roles to obstruct a peaceful transfer of power. The lengthiest prison term was given to Enrique Tarrio, the former chairman of the Proud Boys, who faced 22 years behind bars.
However, Tarrio was released from prison in January 2025, when Trump, on the first day of his second term, issued sweeping pardons and commutations to roughly 1,600 people who had been charged related to the Capitol mob attack. Several Proud Boys and Oath Keepers’ leaders were granted clemency as part of that action.
Tuesday’s filing would erase the convictions from their records.
The move to abandon the convictions represented a stunning reversal from the Biden administration, which hailed the guilty verdicts as a crucial victory in its bid to hold accountable those responsible for what prosecutors described as an attack on the heart of American democracy. The Trump administration has sought to re-write the history of that attack, portraying the rioters as patriots and peaceful protesters, being used as pawns by his political rivals, and repeating baseless claims of widespread election fraud.
“In truth, it was the Democrats who staged the real insurrection by certifying a fraud-ridden election, ignoring widespread irregularities, and weaponizing federal agencies to hunt down dissenters,” reads a paragraph from the White House’s web page on January 6.
Over 100 law enforcement officers were injured during the attack, including one who suffered a heart attack after being tased by a stun gun and one who was stabbed with a metal fence stake, according to a 2021 bipartisan Senate report examining the January 6 security response. Four officers who responded to the attack later died by suicide.
The Associated Press contributed reporting
Q&A
Why is the US Department of Justice trying to overturn January 6 convictions?
The DOJ is requesting to vacate convictions for members of far-right groups involved in the January 6 Capitol siege, as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to absolve the rioters.
Who are the key figures involved in the DOJ's motion to vacate convictions?
Key figures include Proud Boys leaders Ethan Nordean and Joseph Biggs, as well as Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers.
What were the sentences given to the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers members?
Several members received prison sentences for their roles in obstructing the peaceful transfer of power, with the longest being 22 years for former Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio.
