POLK COUNTY, Fla. — While President Donald Trump made good on his campaign promise to pardon everyone charged with or convicted of crimes connected to the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack, one local sheriff does not agree with it.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said while he supports Trump, he believes he should have reviewed each case individually.
Of the nearly 1,600 accused rioters, eight are current or former Polk County residents. Three of them are accused of assaulting police officers outside the Capitol.
“The president has the authority to unilaterally pardon all of them, and he did, but I can never support pardoning or commuting the sentence on people who beat on cops, who strike cops, who physically not only resist them but get them down and batter them,” Judd said.
Judd said he remains excited about Trump’s calls to strengthen immigration enforcement during his second term.
