The aftermath of the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021 is still being felt three years later. Federal prosecutors have secured hundreds of convictions, ranging from unlawful picketing to seditious conspiracy.
Looming over the hundreds of Jan. 6 criminal cases is the potential of a Trump presidency. Former President Donald Trump has promised to pardon “a large portion” of the rioters “very early on” if he wins in 2024.
Trump is currently set to go on trial as soon as March in an election interference case brought by special counsel Jack Smith. He has pleaded not guilty, but the trial is shaping up to be one of the most consequential in American politics, given the potential impact on Trump’s political future.
The Jan. 6 attack is the largest criminal probe in Justice Department history, with more than 1,200 cases still being investigated. Online sleuths, who have aided the FBI in hundreds of cases against Jan. 6 rioters, say they have identified about 1,000 other Jan. 6 participants who have not been arrested. They are putting pressure on federal authorities to take action against the rioters, many of whom were caught on tape committing violent attacks on law enforcement and others.
Matthew Graves, the top federal prosecutor in Washington, confirmed that there are more arrests to come. Many citizens from around the country already have come forward to identify individuals connected with the Jan. 6 attacks. As a result of these tips, scores of individuals have been identified and will soon be prosecuted for violent acts at the Capitol and other violations of federal law.
Jan. 6 rioters have been facing judges at the federal courthouse in Washington nearly every weekday over the last year, pleading guilty, on trial, or being sentenced for their roles in the Capitol attack. With just two years left to bring charges before the statute of limitations expires, federal authorities are working to prosecute the remaining rioters.
