A federal judge who presided over multiple January 6 trials has strongly condemned President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon 1,500 individuals involved in the Capitol attack, according to Politico. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, a Bill Clinton appointee, expressed her dismay in a statement issued while dismissing charges against Dominic Box, a Georgia man convicted of felony civil disorder.
Despite his conviction, Box continued to spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, declaring, “We’re going to take our country back.” “Dismissal of charges, pardons after convictions, and commutations of sentences will not change the truth of what happened on January 6, 2021,” Kollar-Kotelly wrote.
“What occurred that day is preserved for the future through thousands of contemporaneous videos, transcripts of trials, jury verdicts, and judicial opinions analyzing and recounting the evidence through a neutral lens. Those records are immutable and represent the truth, no matter how the events of January 6 are described by those charged or their allies.”
Kollar-Kotelly has gained a reputation for holding the January 6 defendants accountable, often admonishing those who attempted to excuse their actions. She has also been involved in legal clashes with Trump allies, including former trade adviser Peter Navarro, over the handling of presidential documents.
Trump, alongside Vice President J.D. Vance, had initially suggested that pardons would be limited to nonviolent offenders after a case-by-case review. However, the sweeping clemencies granted this week included hundreds of individuals convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers, as well as commutations for paramilitary leaders found guilty of seditious conspiracy.
The move has drawn widespread criticism from legal experts and political commentators, who argue it undermines accountability for the attack on the Capitol. Federal prosecutors under the Biden administration had previously warned that pardons would not erase the historical record or absolve defendants of their actions. Last year, prosecutors conveyed this sentiment to Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee who has also overseen several January 6 trials.
Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s pointed remarks underscore the judiciary’s ongoing efforts to maintain the integrity of the legal process, despite Trump’s controversial use of pardons. Her statement serves as a reminder that the events of January 6, 2021, remain documented and unchanged, regardless of political narratives or clemency decisions.