WASHNGTON — Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers, a far-right extremist group, made a controversial visit to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, just one day after being released from prison due to President Donald Trump's sweeping clemency order benefiting over 1,500 individuals charged in relation to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Rhodes, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy, used this opportunity to defend his actions during the insurrection that delayed the certification of President Joe Biden's electoral victory and left multiple law enforcement officers injured.

Wearing a "Trump 2020" hat, Rhodes was in the Capitol advocating for the release of another defendant, stating, "I think all of us should be pardoned." His appearance coincided with House Speaker Mike Johnson's revival of a special committee to investigate the riot, aimed at challenging the findings of the previous bipartisan inquiry.

Judicial reactions to Trump's pardoning spree have been sharply critical. Judges—including U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan and U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly—voiced concerns that such pardons will not alter the established truth surrounding the Capitol assault. Kollar-Kotelly emphasized that the evidence of the events from January 6 remains preserved in the form of court records and trial transcripts, saying, “Those records are immutable and represent the truth, no matter how the events of January 6 are described by those charged or their allies.”

Chutkan highlighted the enduring consequences of the riot, stating, "It cannot whitewash the blood, feces, and terror that the mob left in its wake" and affirming the heroism of law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol.

Rhodes, who had been involved in what prosecutors labeled a weeks-long conspiracy to thwart the election results, was one of 14 January 6 defendants whose sentences were commuted. His visit has raised questions among lawmakers regarding potential threats to public safety and the health of American democracy. Several Democratic lawmakers expressed their shock at his presence in the Capitol complex.

As the political ripples from January 6 continue, investigations and legal ramifications surrounding Trump’s last-minute pardons remain in the spotlight, with judges seeking to uphold what they describe as the "historical record" established by the January 6 prosecutions.

For more details, refer to the reports from LA Times and HuffPost.