WASHINGTON — With the fourth anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack coming this Monday, steel fencing is now once again wrapping the Capitol, which has had some Democrats in tears and many Capitol Police officers reliving the horror they endured that day.
But the GOP now controls both sides of the Capitol, and the party’s hoping to change the debate.
Some Republican lawmakers are vowing to investigate members of the bipartisan, select January 6 committee, even as President-elect Donald Trump is promising pardons for many — and, potentially, all — those convicted of violently interrupting official government proceedings.
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But Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) — who’s been the GOP’s fiercest advocate for those imprisoned for storming the Capitol four years ago — floated to Raw Story going a step further — and memorializing the day as a national holiday.
“Curious if you have any thoughts, with Jan. 6 on Monday,” Raw Story asked as Greene and a small group made their way to the House floor Friday. “I know your party wants to change the conversation on that in this new Congress.”
“To what?” Greene asked.
“On Jan. 6, what happened in 2021,” Raw Story replied.
“You mean, make it a national holiday?” Greene replied through a broad grin.
“Your Democratic counterparts say that you guys are trying to rewrite history,” Raw Story pressed.
“How's that?” Greene asked.
“Pardoning the J6 folks,” Raw Story said.
“Oh, you mean, like after Joe Biden pardoned sex criminals and some of the worst criminals, just letting them out of jail. We're the ones changing history?” Greene said. “They're the ones that objected to three Republican presidents, so you can't change history. Unless we make it a national holiday.”
“Yeah?” Raw Story asked. “Do you want that?”
“Yes,” Greene said through a broad smile ahead of Friday’s speaker vote.
As Greene walked onto the House floor, Raw Story turned to her boyfriend and communications director for clarity.
“Was she joking?” Raw Story asked.
“Well, she smiled,” her boyfriend replied with a laugh. “But…”
“Shut up about Jan. 6,” Greene’s communications director told Raw Story through laughter.
In June, Biden issued a proclamation granting full and unconditional pardons to military service members and veterans who were court-martialed and convicted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for consensual sexual acts with adults. That pardon aimed at addressing discrimination against LGBT service members during the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" era.
Last month, Biden pardoned 39 people convicted of non-violent crimes, and commuted the sentences of about 1,500 people, most of whom were non-violent offenders. These pardons and commutations primarily involved drug-related offenses and people who had demonstrated successful rehabilitation.
Among Biden's pardons was his son Hunter, who was convicted of gun charges in June and who later pleaded guilty to three felonies and six misdemeanors related to tax evasion.
