Senator Lindsey Graham, RS.C., said on Sunday that he believes it was “a mistake” that President Donald Trump forgave who were convicted of violent crimes or declared themselves guilty of committing violent crimes during the disturbances of January 6, 2021. In the Capitol.
“I think it was a mistake forgiving the people who entered the Capitol and violently hit a police officer, because it seems to suggest that it is fine,” Graham told “Meet The Press” of NBC News.
Graham linked Trump’s decision to pardon violent criminals with the decision of former president Joe Biden to pardon several of his relatives during his last hours in office last week.
“You know, Biden forgave half of his family when he left the door. I think that most Americans, if this continues … will review the president’s power of pardon, if this continues, ”Graham told the“ Meet the Press ”moderator, Kristen Welker.
He added: “As for forgiving the violent ones who hit the police, I think it is a mistake.”
Later in the program, Senator Adam Schiff, a Democrat for California, agreed with Graham and told Welker that they “were wrong to grant these indults.”
And he added: “What this now tells the Trump family and the children of President Trump: they can participate in any type of embezzlement, crime, corruption, whatever, and they can expect a forgiveness when they go out the door. That is not a message that you want to send to this family, nor really to any family that occupies the White House. ”
On Monday, a few hours after having assumed a second mandate, Trump used his presidential pardon power to pardon approximately 1,500 of his supporters who declared themselves guilty or were convicted of their actions on January 6, fulfilling one of its most repeated promises campaign.
Their pardons included those who were declared guilty or declared themselves guilty of committing violent crimes in a day in which more than 140 police officers were injured.
Even so, Graham emphasized that Trump’s decision to pard his followers was fulfilling a promise he made during the campaign.
“There are many people who supported President Trump – the forces of the order – [that] He didn’t like this, but he said it during the campaign. He is not deceiving people, ”said Graham.
And he added: “I will be consistent here. I don’t like the idea of getting people out of jail on bail or forgiving people who burn cities and hits police, whether you are republican or Democrat. ”
