WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following his Inauguration Day pardoning and commutation of the more than 1,500 January 6th rioters, we continue to learn more about the rap sheets of Donald Trump’s pardonees. Charges for those Trump released include firearms offenses, domestic violence, drug trafficking, and sexual abuse of a child.

“The people who stormed the United States Capitol to overturn the 2020 election are criminals,” said Courage for America spokesperson Danny Turkel. “It should surprise no one that a significant number of them had considerable criminal records, some having committed heinous and violent crimes. Those prior crimes should have been taken into account when these pardons were under consideration. In his attempt to rewrite history and stoke his base, Trump has put communities across the country at risk.”

Among those who received a Trump pardon for their role in the January 6th insurrection are:

• Theodore Middendorf of McLeansboro, IL, is currently serving a 19-year prison sentence for predatory criminal sexual assault of a child.
• Andrew Taake of Leon County, TX, was rearrested for charges of online solicitation of a minor from 2016.
• Daniel Ball of Homosassa, FL, was arrested shortly after his release on charges of illegal firearm possession, a prohibition that stems from a 2017 domestic battery conviction and a 2022 conviction of battery on a law enforcement officer.
• Emily Hernandez of Sullivan, MO, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for  driving while intoxicated, causing the death of another passenger and causing serious physical injury.
• Peter Schwartz of Uniontown, PA, previously convicted  of assault with a deadly weapon, battery, terroristic threats, and domestic violence.

In the weeks leading up to Trump’s inauguration and in light of his pledge to to pardon the rioters within “the first nine minutes” of taking office, Courage for America warned of the potential for lawlessness in communities around the country by those whom the president pardoned. Courage for America ran advertisements alerting the public of the threat and called on voters to demand their elected officials publicly oppose pardoning the January 6th rioters, as well as an ad highlighting many of the freed rioters desire for retribution.

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About Courage for America
Courage for America is a campaign advised by a council of proud Americans speaking out against an extreme MAGA agenda that puts money and power over the rights and freedoms of the American people. The campaign is amplifying the voices of Americans in communities across the country — veterans, educators, faith leaders, and more — to demand the People’s House works for the people. Learn more at courageforamerica.org.

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Courage for America placed a new digital ad calling on members of Congress to oppose the pardoning of any January 6th insurrectionist. The ad will highlight the crimes of convicted January 6th insurrectionists who traveled to Washington D.C. from New York to participate in the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“We must call January 6th what it was, a domestic terrorist attack of the highest level. Americans must unite and remind our elected officials that violent criminals who assaulted the United States Capitol and threatened our democracy pose major public safety risks to our communities,” said Danny Turkel, spokesperson for Courage for America. “Every member of Congress, including MAGA Republicans, have a duty to loudly and publicly oppose the pardoning of the January 6th rioters.

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WASHINGTON DC – As of today, there are 100 days remaining until January 6th, 2025, and Congress will be tasked with certifying the results of the 2024 presidential election. Courage for America is calling every member of Congress to commit to a peaceful certification of the election results, regardless of the outcome.

On January 6, 2021, despite the insurrection on the Capitol, 147 members of Congress still chose to double down on the Big Lie and vote to overturn a free and fair election. In August of this year, Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, Officer Michael Fanone, and Courage for America council members sent a letter to Congress urging for members to commit to election certification.

“MAGA extremists already tried to overturn one election, and they are laying the groundwork to do it again,” said former Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone. “They brought violence and death to the Capitol building and openly attacked our democracy. My fellow officers and I bore the brunt of their attempt to steal power from the voices of the American people. We can not allow them to do it again.”

“The safety and security of our election system relies on the confidence of the American people that their votes will be counted and certified fairly,” said former Capitol Police Officer, Sergeant Aquilino Gonell. “For even a single elected official to spread lies about the election results creates more chaos and confusion, and results in more political violence. MAGA Republicans claim Americans don’t trust our elections; it is purely because of their repeated attempts to undermine that.”

Courage for America continues to demand that every member of Congress commits to certifying the election, rejecting the Big Lie, and protecting American democracy.

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“No matter the results of the 2024 election, ensuring a peaceful certification should be a top priority.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As we approach January 6, 2025, MAGA Republicans nationwide are doubling down on their extreme election denialism. On a national stage, former President Donald Trump peddled baseless lies and conspiracies around the January 6th insurrection and the 2020 election, including:

• Defending the rioters who attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
• Disrespecting the law enforcement officers that defended the Capitol that day while neglecting the fact that five officers died and 140 were injured.
• Refusing to accept that he lost the 2020 election.

These are the same lies that MAGA Republicans have used to lay the groundwork for another insurrection.

“The display of disrespect for our democracy from the former president last night regarding the attack on our nation’s Capitol is a slap in the face to myself and my fellow officers who risked our lives fending off the rioters emboldened by Donald Trump,” said Sergeant Aquilino Gonell. “Even if the former president wants to downplay the gravity and horror of what I went through, the truth must prevail and our sacrifices cannot be erased. No matter the results of the 2024 election, ensuring a peaceful certification should be a top priority, not spreading the Big Lie or setting the stage for history to repeat itself. As we all saw last night, the stakes are too high – the will of the American people must be peacefully upheld.”

“At this point, Trump is a broken record spewing the same Big Lie regarding the 2020 election and his involvement on January 6th,” said Former Metropolitan Police Department Officer Michael Fanone. “As we approach January 6, 2025, the American people deserve a commitment from all members of Congress that regardless of the results of this election, they will do their part in securing our democracy.”

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The demand to tie government funding to the SAVE Act effectively blocked any chance of the continuing resolution moving forward.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Republicans canceled a vote on a continuing resolution to fund the government which included the so-called SAVE Act, a xenophobic bill that promotes the Big Lie and would enact sweeping voter suppression measures across the country.

Republicans have touted the bill’s provisions against noncitizen voting, which is already illegal. Instead, the SAVE Act would create higher barriers to voting, especially among underserved and marginalized communities. Republicans’ demand to tie government funding to the SAVE Act effectively blocked any chance of the continuing resolution being put to a vote.

“The right of eligible voters to make their voices heard is under attack,” said Sergeant Aquilino Gonell. “MAGA Republicans, using noncitizens and immigrant communities as weapons for their political agenda, are trying to take away the power of American citizens to freely exercise their constitutional rights. Immigrants shouldn’t be scapegoated. Rather than protecting the right to vote, Republicans are unleashing racist attacks on our communities.”

“Speaker Johnson and the MAGA extreme Republican Caucus know they can’t win fairly so they have to resort to these insidious tactics to hang onto power and push anti-democratic Big Lie bills,” said Former Metropolitan Police Department Officer Michael Fanone. “Instead of focusing on funding the government, they are threatening Americans’ ability to vote, while scapegoating vulnerable communities and families. It is about the most underhanded, un-American tactic I can think of, and yet unsurprising considering how spineless and un-patriotic their base is.”

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the SAVE Act a “poison pill,” while former President Donald Trump demanded House Republicans shut down the government should the SAVE Act be omitted from any spending bill.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — On January 6, 2021, 147 Republicans voted to overturn the 2020 election. This week, with 147 days until January 6, 2025, Rep. Joe Morelle, Sergeant Aquilino Gonell, Officer Michael Fanone, and Declaration for American Democracy Co-Director Christine Wood spoke during a press call about the need for all members of Congress to commit to certifying the 2024 election results. Courage for America council members also sent a letter to those who voted to overturn the 2020 election, as well as freshman congresspeople, calling on them to reject Project 2025 and defend our democracy from the threat of MAGA extremism.

Remarks from the press call:

“I fear that my Republican colleagues have normalized not only the former president’s constant election lies, misinformation, and disinformation, but also the fatal insurrection that took place on January 6^th as a result of their Big Lie. No one seems to remember how after the attack on the Capitol, many Republican leaders and members expressed their horror and shock on the House floor about what just unfolded. Those Members of Congress vowed to ensure that would never happen again because they knew the truth. What happened on January 6, 2021, can never happen again,” said Congressman Joe Morelle, the top Democrat on the Committee on House Administration.

“The violence and brutality my fellow officers and I endured was indescribable and it will happen again if MAGA extremists continue pushing election denialism,” said Sergeant Aquilino Gonell. “We cannot allow them to attack our democracy again – too much is at stake. Election denialism and the authoritarian Project 2025 agenda have no place in this country. It’s Congress’s responsibility to protect our democracy – it’s what we, the people, put them in office to do.”

“MAGA Republicans have stopped at nothing to undermine the legitimacy of our democratic institutions and electoral systems,” said Officer Michael Fanone. “They’ve peddled baseless conspiracy theories, passed legislation to restrict voting rights, and obstructed efforts to bring January 6th insurrectionists to justice. Just this week, former president Trump doubled down on his commitment to pardon the convicted insurrectionists who put my life and our democracy at risk on January 6th.”

“We are deeply concerned about the continuation of the Big Lie and the emergence of Project 2025, a new and dangerous threat to our democracy,” said Christine Wood, Co-Director of Declaration for American Democracy. “What happened on January 6th, 2021 was a violent and deadly attack against all Americans, against our country, our democracy, and our freedom as voters to choose the leaders who represent us.”

The letters sent by Courage For America can be found here.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — 147 Republicans voted to overturn the 2020 election on January 6, 2021. Today, with 147 days until January 6, 2025, Sergeant Aquilino Gonell, Officer Michael Fanone, and Courage for America council members signed a letter to House Republicans urging them to commit to certifying this year’s election results. In the letter, the council members are calling on representatives to reject Project 2025 and defend our democracy from the threat of MAGA extremism. 

“Every four years, throughout our country’s history, Congress has fulfilled this time-honored tradition; however, on January 6, 2021, we saw what happens when elected officials such as yourself do not carry through with their constitutional duty. You were one of 147 members of Congress who decided to put their allegiance to the Constitution second to partisan loyalty, refused to certify a free and fair election, voted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, and attempted to silence the votes and voices of the American people.

Your actions that day threatened the sanctity and security of our democracy. That’s why we – a people-first council of proud Americans, including veterans, educators, faith leaders, and community leaders from across the country – are calling on you to fulfill your constitutional responsibility to the American people by committing to a peaceful certification of the upcoming presidential election.”

Read the full text of the letter here.

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“MAGA Republicans are emboldened to continue rewriting history and discrediting what we all witnessed that day.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention, former President Donald Trump doubled-down on his commitment to pardon January 6th insurrectionists who were convicted for their attack on the Capitol, which resulted in the deaths of five police officers, and left another 140 injured. Courage for America Councilmembers Sgt. Aquilino Gonell and former Metropolitan Police Department Officer Michael Fanone, both of whom were severely injured while defending the Capitol on January 6th, and Arizonan activist Rev. Dr. Cathy Patterson released the following statements:

“Attacks against our democracy should never be pardoned or forgiven under any circumstance,” said Sergeant Aquilino Gonell. “Once again, former President Trump made clear that he never cared about the more than 140 police officers who could have lost their lives defending the Capitol on January 6th. I refuse to be silent on this matter when my life and those of my colleagues were in jeopardy because of him and his enablers, who continue to be a threat to our democracy. Trump, Speaker Johnson and their MAGA colleagues, despite their alleged support for the rule of law, continue to lay the groundwork for another insurrection.”

“Trump is doing what he does best: lying about what happened on January 6th and defending the violent criminals that he incited to attack the U.S. Capitol,” said Former Metropolitan Police Department Officer Michael Fanone. “MAGA Republicans are emboldened to continue rewriting history and discrediting what we all witnessed that day. Now more than ever we must hold MAGA extremists accountable for the threat they continue to pose to our democracy. January 6, 2025 is fast approaching, and I remain committed to telling my story to hold these bastards accountable.”

“I am proud to serve on this council with individuals who risked their lives to defend our democracy,” said Rev. Dr. Cathy Patterson. “The gall and audacity displayed at a venue full of esteemed Black journalists, while committing to pardon convicted insurrectionists and sowing more division in this country, only demonstrates what we have all known for a long time – MAGA extremism continues to be the greatest threat to our democracy.”

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“Congress cannot excuse the January 6 defendants’ attacks against our democracy. We, the people, should expect nothing less than total accountability for insurrectionists.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, MAGA House Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz (FL-01) introduced a bill that would limit harsh sentences for January 6 defendants. The proposed bill would require courts to credit time defendants have already served toward any new sentence, capping this credit at 10 years. Courage for America Councilmembers Sgt. Aquilino Gonell and former Metropolitan Police Department Officer Michael Fanone, who were both severely injured while defending the Capitol on January 6th, released the following statement:

“At every opportunity, MAGA Republicans continue to minimize the events of January 6 and defend the violent insurrectionists who attacked our democracy – instead of honoring the officers who were injured,” said Sergeant Aquilino Gonell. “Speaker Johnson and his MAGA colleagues continue to lay the groundwork for another insurrection by promoting the Big Lie and refusing to hold the mob of extremists accountable for their atrocities in 2021. Congress cannot excuse the January 6 defendants’ attacks against our democracy. We, the people, should expect nothing less than total accountability for insurrectionists.”

“Those responsible for disrupting the peaceful certification of the 2020 election results and violently attacking the Capitol don’t deserve leniency from the law,” said Officer Michael Fanone. “MAGA Republicans are emboldened to continue rewriting history and discrediting what we all witnessed that day. I remain committed to combating these attempts and holding Trump’s lap dogs responsible for the damage they continue to do to the integrity of this country.”

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“Anyone willing to repeat the events of Jan. 6 must be held accountable.” 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This afternoon at the MAGA-infested J.D. Vance rally in Middletown, Ohio, Republican state Senator George Lang decided to use his time on stage to say “If we lose this election, it’s going to take a civil war to save the country.” 

Responding to this alarming statement from Sen. Lang, Courage for America Councilmember and former Capitol Police Officer Sergeant Aquilino Gonell, who was severely injured defending the Capitol on January 6th, released the following statement: 

“A ‘civil war’ should never be the response to losing an election, yet MAGA extremists are explicitly threatening our democracy with violence if they do not win in November. This should be a wakeup call for all Americans: we must protect our democracy from extremism. Our democracy should be a flow of ideas, not of violence. Anyone willing to repeat the events of Jan. 6 must be held accountable,” said Sergeant Aquilino Gonell. “The scars I acquired from the violent mob that day serve as a reminder of how high the stakes are to keep violence out of politics – and demand the peaceful certification and acceptance of our elections.” 

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“Trump senior advisor Chris LaCivita isn’t just threatening January 6th style violence after the 2024 election, he’s promising it.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This afternoon at the MAGA-filled, Heritage-backed Republican National Convention, Trump advisor Chris LaCivita told Politico’s Jonathan Martin “It’s not over on election day. It’s over on inauguration day.”

Responding to this violently charged and inflammatory statement from LaCivita, Courage for America Councilmember and former Metropolitan Police Department Officer Michael Fanone, who was severely injured while defending the Capitol on January 6th, released the following statement:

“Trump senior advisor Chris LaCivita isn’t just threatening January 6th style violence after the 2024 election, he’s promising it.” said Officer Michael Fanone. “I stood with my fellow law enforcement officers and defended our Democracy the last time the MAGA movement chose violence to overturn an American election, and I’ll be damned before I let another Jan. 6 happen again.”

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“Day one of the RNC shows how deeply election denialism is embedded into the MAGA agenda and how fervently we must reject it.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — It has only been one day at the Republican National Convention and it’s clear January 6th rioters are not only present – but defining the MAGA movement.

Highlights from the first day of the RNC, according to the Washington Post: 

• The first session of the Republican National Convention opened with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Debbie Kraulidis, an Illinois activist who attended the Jan. 6, 2021, rally on the National Mall that led to a riot at the U.S. Capitol.
• Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, who seconded Donald Trump’s formal nomination for president, helped organize alternate electors falsely claiming Trump won his state in 2020.
• Ed Martin, the deputy policy director of the convention platform committee, was in the mob outside the Capitol on Jan. 6. At least three other people photographed in that mob are serving as delegates. So are five people who previously served as alternate electors, including four who have been charged with fraud, forgery and conspiracy.
• Bob Ide, a Wyoming state senator serving on the Republican convention platform committee, was photographed on the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, reaching the scaffolding set up for the inauguration.

In response to the RNC’s public embrace of January 6th insurrectionists on day one of their Convention, Courage for America Councilmember and former Metropolitan Police Department Officer Michael Fanone, who was severely injured while defending the Capitol on January 6th, released the following statement condemning the RNC for uplifting these individuals and the atrocities of the insurrection:

“Day one of the RNC shows how deeply election denialism is embedded into the MAGA agenda and how fervently we must reject it,” said Officer Michael Fanone. “What happened on January 6th almost cost me my life and brought our democracy to the brink. This is a moment to come together and oppose those who call for violence in politics, but the RNC’s decision to give a platform to the same people who rioted against our democracy on January 6th does the opposite.”

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