It’s been 44 months since the Jan. 6 insurrection aimed at stopping the certification of the 2020 presidential election results.
Former President Donald Trump incited a riot with dangerous rhetoric repeating false claims of election fraud.
“We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore,” Trump said.
His followers listened. They followed his directions and fought like hell to stop the certification. More than 140 police officers were assaulted in the process.
Rioters used deadly weapons against police: firearms, OC spray, tasers, a sword, axes, hatchets, and knives. They also utilized makeshift weapons including office furniture, fencing, bike racks, stolen riot shields, baseball bats, hockey sticks, flagpoles, PVC piping and reinforced knuckle gloves.
The U.S. Capitol was damaged, government property was destroyed, and items were stolen from offices in the building. Losses from the siege were estimated at nearly $3 million.
Despite the disruption, Trump’s army ultimately failed in their directive. The election results were certified in favor of President Joe Biden later that day.
Trump has promised to pardon the, in his words “warriors,” who have been convicted for their actions on Jan. 6 if he is re-elected in November.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the FBI’s Washington field office see things differently than Trump. They don’t see those who led the insurrection as warriors; they see them as criminals.
The FBI continues to pursue those who engaged in dangerous and disruptive conduct that interfered with what should have been the peaceful transfer of power.
To date, 1,504 individuals have been charged criminally in federal court.
They are not alone. Trump also faces charges related to his actions on Jan. 6.
Special counsel Jack Smith has charged Trump with four counts including conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights. The case has been on hold as Trump claimed “presidential immunity” to the charges. Despite the U.S. Supreme Court agreeing in part with Trump, Smith has continued to pursue the same four charges against him. Trump was arraigned on the four charges in 2023 and pleaded not guilty. No court date has been set for Trump on his role in the deadly riot and election interference.
Despite the chaos, violence and death that occurred at the Capitol, and potential ramifications for Trump himself, instead of dialing down the rhetoric, his extreme threats and discourse have only intensified as he seeks re-election.
Trump has said that if he doesn’t get elected, “it’s going to be a bloodbath for the country” – essentially giving marching orders once again to his cult following.
On Truth Social, Trump has threatened to jail lawyers, political operatives, donors, illegal voters and election officials who may “cheat” in the election.
“Threatening people with punishment for cheating is deeply disturbing if ‘cheating’ simply means that you don’t like the outcome of the election,” said Steve Simon, Minnesota’s secretary of state and the president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, in a social media post.
There was no evidence that there was any conspiracy against Trump in 2020. The final results showed that Trump lost the Electoral College and popular vote. Trump finally admitted on a podcast that he lost the 2020 election “by a whisker.”
Stop the Steal arrests and sentencing
- 562 charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement agents or officers or obstructing those officers during a civil disorder
- 164 defendants charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer
- 171 defendants charged with entering a restricted area with a dangerous or deadly weapon
- 18 defendants charged with seditious conspiracy
- 87 defendants charged with destruction of government property
- 66 charged with theft of government property
All defendants charged in the January 6 prosecution have been charged with some form of trespass or disorderly conduct in violation of federal criminal codes.
To date, 915 individuals have pleaded guilty including 291 who pleaded guilty to felonies and 606 who have pleaded guilty to misdemeanors.
Approximately 965 defendants have had their cases fully adjudicated and received sentences for their criminal activity on Jan. 6, including 605 sentenced to periods of incarceration and an additional 141 defendants sentenced to periods of incarceration where they were allowed to serve their sentence in home detention.
There are approximately 126 cases still pending in U.S. District Court.
FBI: Most wanted for roles in Jan. 6
The FBI is still working to locate fugitives including Evan Neumann, Adam Villarreal and Paul Belosic.
Additional suspects are also wanted for violent assaults on law enforcement.
Images and video of additional attackers are online, and the FBI is asking for tips from the public in identifying these individuals.
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Crystal Graham
