Proud Boys Leader Requests Clemency from President-Elect Trump Following Jan. 6 Conviction
Joseph Biggs, a leader of the Proud Boys convicted of seditious conspiracy for his role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, has formally requested a pardon from President-elect Donald Trump. Biggs, currently serving a 17-year prison sentence, is the first among dozens of Proud Boys members found guilty in connection with the Capitol riot to seek clemency.
Other prominent members of the extremist group, including former chairman Enrique Tarrio, who received a 22-year sentence for his involvement, have also indicated plans to seek pardons. Biggs’ attorney, Norm Pattis, submitted the clemency request on Wednesday, opening the letter with congratulations on Trump’s “reelection to the presidency.” Pattis then urged Trump to grant a “complete pardon” for Biggs, likening such a gesture to the pardons extended to Confederate supporters after the Civil War, which he argued helped to heal national divisions.
“These are divisive times,” Pattis wrote, referencing ongoing disputes over the legitimacy of the 2020 election, which many Trump supporters contested during the Capitol attack. He added that a pardon for Biggs could “help close that wound and inspire confidence in the future.”
During his campaign, Trump repeatedly vowed to pardon those charged in connection with the Capitol attack, a group that has grown to include more than 1,500 individuals. However, his transition team has not yet established a formal policy for handling clemency requests like Biggs’.
Supporters of a broad amnesty for January 6 defendants have expressed concerns about the potential influx of individual pardon applications overwhelming Trump’s incoming administration. They have advocated for a systematic approach to addressing clemency requests to avoid a chaotic process once Trump takes office.
