Stewart Rhodes, the founding father of the anti-government group the Oath Keepers, mentioned it was a “good day for America” when President Trump pardoned him and different Jan. 6 defendants on Monday.
“I think it’s a good day for America that all the wrongs are being undone,” he informed News4. “None of them should have been here in the first place.”
Rhodes stood exterior the Washington, D.C. jail ready for extra folks to be launched.
“We’re here to welcome them,” he mentioned.
Rhodes, the previous chief of the Proud Boys, informed the outlet that he was launched from a federal correctional facility in Maryland late Monday after Trump issued pardons to greater than 1,000 individuals who stormed the Capitol 4 years in the past.
On his first day in workplace after his inauguration ceremony, Trump granted “full, complete and unconditional” pardons for practically the entire rioters.
“What they’ve done to these people is outrageous,” Trump mentioned whereas signing government orders within the Oval Workplace on Monday.
Rhodes was serving an 18-year jail time period. He was one of many defendants that had their sentences commuted to time served.
The federal choose who oversaw Rhodes’ case mentioned just lately the thought of him being absolved of his actions was “frightening.”
Supporters of Jan. 6 rioters stood exterior in freezing temperatures in a single day to attend for defendants to be launched, News4 reported. James Lee Vivid, an legal professional for Rhodes, mentioned they have been “deeply thankful” that Trump commuted his sentence however in the end consider he’ll later be pardoned or achieve success in his enchantment of his sedition conviction.
