Charlie Crist: No pardons for Capitol insurrectionists

The FBI and the New York City Police Department passed information to U.S. Capitol Police about the possibility of violence during the protests. Image via Reuters.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist is calling for no pardons, pushing against reports suggesting that President Donald Trump may be considering pardoning those arrested for the armed Capitol insurrection last Wednesday.

“As our nation continues to grapple with last week’s horrifying attack on democracy, one thing remains clear: the insurrectionists who committed this attack must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Crist said in a statement. “Those who committed acts of terrorism, which resulted in the deaths of two Capitol Police officers, must be held to account for their crimes.”

Since Wednesday, at least 90 people have been arrested for the violent breach of the U.S. Capitol that led to the death of five individuals, including a Capitol Police officer. Several Floridians have been among those arrested, including the man photographed carrying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lectern, Adam Christian Johnson, who was arrested Saturday in Pinellas County.

In a tweet Monday, Crist said those arrested “need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Trump has come under fire for his role in the violent riot, and is now facing impeachment on the charge of “incitement of insurrection.” Crist signed on as one of the original co-sponsors on the newly drawn Articles of Impeachment.

We must have full accountability. No pardons should be given for insurrectionists who participated in Wednesday’s attack on our democracy. They need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. pic.twitter.com/Hh8GnnvuN7

— Congressman Charlie Crist (@RepCharlieCrist) January 11, 2021

Crist was the first to call for the use of the 25th amendment to remove Trump as the sitting President Wednesday afternoon in a tweet posted minutes after Trump released a video addressing the rioters in Washington. In the video, the President continued to make false claims about a fraudulent election and included a half-hearted call for the insurrectionists to go home. At the end of it he told the mob, “we love you” and called them “very special.”

The 25th Amendment allows for the removal of a President if he is deemed unable to do his job, handing the role to the Vice President. In the following days, Crist wrote a letter to Vice President Mike Pence echoing his sentiments.

More Florida House members, including U.S. Reps. Alcee Hastings and Val Demings followed, citing the 25th Amendment Wednesday night.

It’s unlikely Pence and the President’s Cabinet will invoke the 25th Amendment.