Trump Pardon Attorney Reviews Jan.6 Oath Keepers Clemency Requests

Ed Martin, newly appointed as the Justice Department's pardon attorney under President Donald Trump, has begun reviewing full pardon applications for Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers militia convicted of seditious conspiracy related to the January 6 Capitol attack. Although Trump previously commuted Rhodes' 18-year sentence, Martin is now considering wiping Rhodes' record clean along with similar pardons for other prominent Jan. 6 defendants, including members of the Proud Boys. These applications were delivered by lawyer Peter Ticktin, a former classmate of Trump, alongside Jan. 6 defendant Treniss Evans, both involved with the conservative nonprofit American Rights Alliance. Martin, a known Trump ally and former defender of Jan. 6 rioters, has emphasized a focus on "the forgotten man and woman" while reviewing numerous clemency requests since his appointment. The pardon requests are expected to be forwarded to White House pardon czar Alice Johnson for further consideration, though no final decisions have been made. Trump's broad clemency actions for Jan. 6 defendants during his second term have sparked significant controversy and criticism from legal experts.