Key Takeaways:

• U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta rescinded the travel ban on Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes and other defendants.
• This decision follows President Trump's commutation of their sentences related to the January 6 insurrection.
• The ruling allows Rhodes and others unrestricted access to Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Capitol.
• Despite lifting the restriction, Judge Mehta noted that the terms of their supervised release remain intact but unenforced.
• The Justice Department initially opposed the restrictions imposed by Judge Mehta shortly after Trump’s clemency was announced.

In a significant ruling, CBS News reports that U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta has lifted the restrictions barring Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the far-right Oath Keepers group, and other members from entering Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Capitol without court permission. This decision comes shortly after President Donald Trump commuted their sentences for their involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, which garnered national attention and legal implications.

Initially, Judge Mehta had imposed travel restrictions following Rhodes’ conviction for seditious conspiracy, sentencing him to 18 years in prison. However, the judge recognized that Trump's clemency order, which applied to more than 1,500 individuals related to the Capitol attack, had implications for Rhodes and his co-defendants. According to The Hill, Mehta stated, “It would be improper for the court post-commutation to modify the original sentences,” signifying the power that presidential clemency holds under the law.

Rhodes and his fellow Oath Keepers were initially barred from entering D.C. without prior approval from the court, an order that was swiftly contested by the Justice Department, spearheaded by acting U.S. Attorney Ed Martin. Martin's position was that since the sentences had been commuted, the defendants should not be subject to any restrictions, as indicated in NPR. Mehta's latest ruling supports this interpretation of Trump’s commutation, confirming that enforcement of supervised release terms would not apply.

Mehta elaborated on the nature of commutation in he statement: “It is not for this court to divine why President Trump commuted Defendants’ sentences, or to assess whether it was sensible to do so,” echoing sentiments previously raised in related cases. The decision was also supported by evidence that Rhodes had quickly reemerged on the Capitol grounds following his release, giving interviews, and asserting political rhetoric shortly after the legal change. In this context, HuffPost covered that Rhodes was observed making media rounds almost immediately after his commutation.

While the ruling allows for unrestricted access to the nation's capital, Mehta's distinction maintains that the original sentences and their conditions have not been erased. “Dismissing their supervised release therefore is not appropriate,” Mehta added, reflecting on the broader implications of such presidential clemency actions.

For further information, please check sources at The Guardian or The Hill.