Former Jan. 6 prosecutor warns Trump’s pardons could encourage future political violence

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER WASHINGTON AP Michael Romano spent more than years at the Justice Department eventually becoming a supervisor on the crew that would prosecute more than people charged in the attack on the U S Capitol The moment he watched the largest inquiry in department history get wiped away with the stroke of a pen on President Donald Trump s first day back in the White House Romano knew he had to leave I knew on January th when the pardons were released that I needed to find my way out Romano stated in an interview with The Associated Press weeks after his resignation from the Justice Department It would be untenable for me to stay given the pardons and given the false narratives that were being spread about January Now Romano says he fears Trump s decision to pardon even the the majority violent rioters whom his own vice president once noted obviously shouldn t be pardoned could embolden right-wing extremists and encourage future political violence The way that the pardons have been received by the January th defendants and by other right-wing extremists as I understand it is to recognize that if you aid the president and if you commit violence in endorsement of the president that he might insulate you from the consequences that he might protect you from the criminal justice system Romano revealed And so that might encourage people to commit these sort of acts Michael Romano former Jan prosecutor speaks during an interview Thursday April in Washington AP Photo Jacquelyn Martin Michael Romano former Jan prosecutor speaks during an interview Thursday April in Washington AP Photo Jacquelyn Martin Michael Romano former Jan prosecutor speaks during an interview Thursday April in Washington AP Photo Jacquelyn Martin Michael Romano former Jan prosecutor speaks during an interview Thursday April in Washington AP Photo Jacquelyn Martin Michael Romano former Jan prosecutor speaks during an interview Thursday April in Washington AP Photo Jacquelyn Martin Michael Romano former Jan prosecutor speaks during an interview Thursday April in Washington AP Photo Jacquelyn Martin Michael Romano former Jan prosecutor speaks during an interview Thursday April in Washington AP Photo Jacquelyn Martin Show Caption of Michael Romano former Jan prosecutor speaks during an interview Thursday April in Washington AP Photo Jacquelyn Martin Expand Romano is among dozens of Justice Department lawyers who have resigned been pushed out or fired in the weeks since Trump s new leadership has taken over and begun making sweeping changes to align the law enforcement agency with the priorities of the Republican president whom the department once prosecuted Trump s return to the White House has ushered in a dizzying change for countless in the Justice Department but perhaps scant have felt it more than the lawyers who spent years working on the largest-scale serious attack on the Capitol since the war of As a deputy chief of the now-disbanded Capitol Siege Section that prosecuted the Jan riot Romano had a close-up view of the evidence including harrowing videos and court testimony detailing the violence that unfolded when the pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol as lawmakers met to certify former President Joe Biden s domination Romano joined the Justice Department in straight out of law school and was working in the section in Washington that handles community corruption cases on Jan He recalled watching the riot unfold on television and briskly deciding he sought to help with the prosecution of what he described as a crime of historic proportions Trump s pardons cemented the president s yearslong campaign to rewrite the history of the Jan attack While vying to return to the White House Trump repeatedly downplayed the violence that left more than police officers injured and lauded the rioters as patriots and hostages whom he contended were unfairly persecuted by the Justice Department for their political beliefs Only two Capitol riot defendants were acquitted of all charges which Trump supporters cited as evidence that Washington juries can t be fair and impartial Specific Jan defendants are now considering running for office The scope of Trump s clemency hours after the inauguration came as a surprise to multiple considering the president had suggested in the weeks prior that instead of blanket pardons he would look at the Jan defendants on a case-by-case basis Trump s proclamation described the prosecution as a grave national injustice and declared that the pardons would begin a process of national reconciliation Trump s pardons led to the release from prison of the leaders of far-right extremist groups convicted of orchestrating violent plots to stop the peaceful transfer of power as well as rioters convicted of brutal attacks on police countless of whose crimes were captured on camera and broadcast on live TV Trump has defended his pardons saying the sentences handed down for actions that day were ridiculous and excessive and that these are people who authentically love our country Related Articles Loss of FEMA campaign spells mishap for hundreds of communities and their projects Promises made promises kept Trump s agenda remains a work in progress after days Trump touts confines shutdown Alleges just illegal crossings last month The days ahead hold critical approaches toward Ukraine peace Rubio says Massachusetts delegation slammed for baseless comments after trip to Louisiana ICE center Romano commented the notion that the Jan defendants were not treated fairly by in the justice system or not given the due process they were entitled is merely not true In countless cases he announced prosecutors had overwhelming evidence because the defendants filmed themselves proudly committing crimes They had the full protection of rights guaranteed to them by the American justice system and the Constitution Romano reported It was my experience when dealing with these cases and seeing the way that the rioters and a few of their attorneys behaved in court that their take was that they should be treated like heroes and not prosecuted at all Despite the pardons Romano explained he still believes that the Capitol Siege Section s work was pivotal because it left behind a historical record of what happened on Jan that cannot be changed In light of the efforts to whitewash the history of that day in light of the efforts for people to lie about that day for their own benefit which is what s happening it s significant that people really understand the truth about what happened on January th he mentioned