(The Center Square) – One of the several dozen Illinoisans charged with crimes during the Jan. 6, 2021, protests at the U.S. Capitol feels vindicated after a sweeping pardon by President Donald Trump.
In signing the executive order for the pardons on Day 1 of his administration, Trump called the defendants “hostages” and said they are getting a “full pardon.”
“This is a big one,” Trump said. “We hope they come out tonight.”
In addition to the immediate release of those serving time for convictions stemming from the riot, Trump’s order also directs the U.S. Attorney General “to pursue dismissal with prejudice to the government of all pending indictments against individuals for their conduct related to the events at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.”
Larry Ligas said he wasn’t at the capitol with any group that day. He was there by himself to try and have conversations about policy issues with legislators and others. Later, he was charged and said he was further pursued for challenging the charges.
“When I refused to weaken, to sit down with the FBI agents that I believed at that time were corrupted,” Ligas told The Center Square.
While grateful that he’s been vindicated by the president’s pardon, Ligas didn’t want a sweeping pardon, lumping his vindication with others.
“Even though I wish he would have done case-by-case, because I didn’t want to be blanketed in with the people that committed violence, the people that damaged the Capitol,” he said.
Ligas plans a news conference in Chicago at the Grand Kimball Lodge Thursday afternoon to further discuss the issue.
Some Jan. 6 defendants became so distraught at being charged for being at the Capitol that day in 2021 that they took their own lives, he said. Ligas said he’s still trying to recover from an unannounced early-morning raid and arrest.
“They physically damaged me, they emotionally, psychology [damaged me], I am still trying to recover from a lot of these damages,” he said.
Defending against the charges also brought a toll, as did an additional charge. Ligas is exploring suing prosecutors.
“I am seriously looking at it,” Ligas said. “Right now I am just trying to recuperate a little bit because my team and I, we were focusing on going to trial.”
Trump said the 1,500 people getting pardoned have endured horrible treatment by the previous administration.
