President Trump has granted a pardon to Daniel Edwin Wilson, a January 6 defendant who was serving time for a separate gun offense, effectively releasing him from prison. This move comes as part of the broader pattern of Trump's willingness to use his presidential authority to assist supporters who were involved in efforts to keep him in power despite his loss in the 2020 election.
Wilson had been under investigation for his role in the January 6 riot and was found to have six guns and approximately 4,800 rounds of ammunition at his home. Due to prior felony convictions, it was illegal for him to possess firearms, leading to charges that were part of a wider debate over whether Trump's pardons for January 6 rioters applied to other crimes uncovered during the federal investigation.
A federal judge overseeing Wilson's case had previously criticized the Justice Department for arguing that Trump's pardons did not apply to Wilson's gun offense. The judge described it as "extraordinary" that prosecutors were seeking to argue that Trump's pardons extended to illegal contraband found by investigators during searches related to January 6 cases.
The White House official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, stated that President Trump is pardoning Wilson for the firearm issues because the search of his home was "due to the events of January 6 and they should never have been there in the first place." This explanation suggests that Trump's decision is aimed at avoiding any potential implications of his pardons for January 6 rioters.
Wilson had previously been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to impede or injure police officers and illegally possessing firearms. Prosecutors accused him of planning to participate in the January 6 riot for weeks, communicating with extremist groups, and expressing a willingness to sacrifice himself if necessary.
In one message on November 9, 2020, Wilson wrote: "I'm willing to do whatever. Done made up my mind. I understand the tip of the spear will not be easy. I'm willing to sacrifice myself if necessary." He later stated that he regretted entering the Capitol but had acted with good intentions.
The decision to pardon Wilson for his gun offense marks another instance of Trump's willingness to use his authority to support supporters who were involved in efforts to keep him in power despite losing the 2020 election.
Wilson had been under investigation for his role in the January 6 riot and was found to have six guns and approximately 4,800 rounds of ammunition at his home. Due to prior felony convictions, it was illegal for him to possess firearms, leading to charges that were part of a wider debate over whether Trump's pardons for January 6 rioters applied to other crimes uncovered during the federal investigation.
A federal judge overseeing Wilson's case had previously criticized the Justice Department for arguing that Trump's pardons did not apply to Wilson's gun offense. The judge described it as "extraordinary" that prosecutors were seeking to argue that Trump's pardons extended to illegal contraband found by investigators during searches related to January 6 cases.
The White House official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, stated that President Trump is pardoning Wilson for the firearm issues because the search of his home was "due to the events of January 6 and they should never have been there in the first place." This explanation suggests that Trump's decision is aimed at avoiding any potential implications of his pardons for January 6 rioters.
Wilson had previously been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to impede or injure police officers and illegally possessing firearms. Prosecutors accused him of planning to participate in the January 6 riot for weeks, communicating with extremist groups, and expressing a willingness to sacrifice himself if necessary.
In one message on November 9, 2020, Wilson wrote: "I'm willing to do whatever. Done made up my mind. I understand the tip of the spear will not be easy. I'm willing to sacrifice myself if necessary." He later stated that he regretted entering the Capitol but had acted with good intentions.
The decision to pardon Wilson for his gun offense marks another instance of Trump's willingness to use his authority to support supporters who were involved in efforts to keep him in power despite losing the 2020 election.
. And what really gets me is that prosecutors are basically saying "oh, but this one isn't part of the January 6 riot, so it doesn't count". That just feels like a bunch of semantics to me 
. Wilson's story is pretty wild too - I mean, planning to participate in the riot and even talking about sacrificing himself? That's some crazy stuff 
. Anyways, what do you guys think this move says about Trump's priorities?
I'm so worried about this, you know? Like, President Trump is basically giving a free pass to people who broke the law on January 6th and then he's using his pardon power to help them out with other crimes too. It's like, what's next? 
And what about all the other people who were hurt during the riot? Like, they deserve justice too, you know? 
I don't think we'll ever know for sure. What do you guys think?
. And another thing, why does Wilson get to just waltz outta prison after serving only a fifth of his sentence? What about all the other January 6 defendants who are still rotting away in there? It's just so unfair 
.
.
.
]
. Is it desperation, or is there something more at play? I mean, Wilson had already pleaded guilty to some serious crimes, so one would think the punishment would have been enough 
. It raises questions about the true meaning of pardon and whether it's a form of leniency or an attempt to buy loyalty 
. What does this say about our justice system, really? Is it fair and impartial, or are there those who get special treatment because of their connections or influence 
.
. Did his willingness to sacrifice himself actually put others in harm's way? And what about the people who were directly affected by the riot and the gun violence that followed? Are they just being swept under the rug? 
. And let's be real, the guy had a legit reason for being at that Capitol building - he wanted to stand up against the deep state and their evil plot to steal the election 
.
.
. I'm not saying it's okay to break the law or anything, but come on, we gotta give this guy some credit for having guts 
. So yeah, I'm all for this pardon - who needs the system when you've got Trump on your side? 
. But on the other hand, it raises some questions about how this whole pardoning thing works, especially since he had guns at home - like, what if someone got hurt? 
. All I'm saying is that it's good that Wilson gets a break, but we need some more clarity on how pardons work, you feel? 
I can see why they'd want to pardon him on some level, but at the same time, it feels like a slippery slope. If he gets away with this, what's next? 
... it gives me chills. I just hope people are keeping an eye on these pardons and not getting too caught up in the drama surrounding them 