Pamela Hemphill, a person who served time in prison for her involvement in the U.S. Capitol riot four years ago, has rejected a pardon from former President Donald Trump. Hemphill, who had been sentenced to 60 days behind bars after pleading guilty, expressed to the BBC that there should be no pardons for those involved in the January 6, 2021 riot.
“We were wrong that day,” Hemphill said, acknowledging her illegal actions during the riot. She added, “Accepting a pardon would only insult the Capitol police officers, rule of law, and, of course, our nation.” Hemphill explained that by pleading guilty, she took full responsibility for her actions, and accepting a pardon would contribute to a false narrative, one that she believes is being pushed by the Trump administration.
The 60-year-old woman, who gained the nickname “Maga granny” from social media users due to her association with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, also criticized the Trump government for what she described as an attempt to “rewrite history.” She firmly rejected any notion of forgiveness, emphasizing, “We were wrong that day, we broke the law – there should be no pardons.” Hemphill made these statements on the BBC World Service’s Newsday programme.
Her stance comes amid a broader context of pardons granted by Trump, who, within hours of taking office, made the controversial decision to pardon or commute the sentences of nearly 1,600 individuals involved in attempts to violently overturn the 2020 presidential election. Speaking during a White House news conference, Trump defended his actions, stating, “These people have already served years in prison, and they’ve served them viciously. It’s a disgusting prison. It’s been horrible. It’s inhumane. It’s been a terrible, terrible thing.”
Trump’s actions, while celebrated by some, have drawn criticism from various quarters, including within his own party. Republican Senator Thom Tillis from North Carolina voiced his disapproval of the decision, saying, “I just can’t agree” with the pardons. He added that such a move “raises legitimate safety issues on Capitol Hill.” Another Republican, Senator James Lankford from Oklahoma, also spoke against the pardons, emphasizing the importance of law and order. “I think if you attack a police officer, that’s a very serious issue and they should pay a price for that,” Lankford said in an interview with CNN.
The refusal of a pardon is not a new occurrence. Under the U.S. Constitution, it is within an individual’s rights to reject a pardon, a position upheld by the Supreme Court. Legal experts, including those at Cornell Law School, have confirmed that individuals who choose not to accept a pardon cannot be forced into doing so. This highlights the autonomy individuals have regarding their own legal matters.
Among the individuals who did accept pardons was Jacob Chansley, one of the most recognizable faces from the Capitol riot. Known as the self-styled “QAnon Shaman,” Chansley had been sentenced to 41 months in prison but was released in 2023 after serving 27 months of his sentence. Upon hearing about his pardon, Chansley was reportedly working out at a gym and learned of the news from his lawyer. His reaction was one of elation. “I walked outside and I screamed ‘freedom’ at the top of my lungs and then gave a good Native American war cry,” Chansley recalled, describing his emotional response to the pardon.
Hemphill’s rejection of the pardon and her call for accountability underscores the growing divide over the Capitol riot and its aftermath. For her, the message is clear: those who participated in the riot must face the consequences of their actions. “I pleaded guilty because I was guilty,” she emphasized, reinforcing her stance that accepting a pardon would undermine both her personal accountability and the wider rule of law.
The ongoing debate over pardons and the Capitol riot reflects larger issues concerning justice, accountability, and the interpretation of events that continue to resonate in the political landscape. As public figures, including Hemphill, take stands on the issue, the conversation about the proper response to the January 6 riot remains deeply polarized, with both supporters and detractors of the pardons offering strong views.
As the political ramifications of the Capitol riot continue to unfold, figures like Hemphill provide a stark contrast to those seeking leniency or a rewriting of history. For Hemphill, the rejection of a pardon is not merely a personal decision but a statement about the need for a just society, where individuals are held accountable for their actions, no matter their political affiliation. She rejected any attempts to downplay the events of January 6, 2021, saying, “We were wrong that day, we broke the law – there should be no pardons.”