DOJ's 'excessive' treatment of Jan. 6 rioters 'undermined' the prosecution, Turley says after pardons

Constitutional law attorney called out the Justice Department's "shock and awe" campaign against the rioters after President Trump pardoned most of the defendants Monday night.

JONATHAN TURLEY: Well, the Department of Justice really made the case for these pardons, and it was hard to do because most of us supported the people responsible for the riot being held accountable, it was a terrible day. But the Justice Department unleashed what one of its top lawyers called a ‘shock and awe’ campaign, and they just scooped up hundreds of people. They often demanded really excessive sentences, in my view. Most of these people were charged with just trespass or unlawful entry. Most of them were not violent. The government tended to oppose bail, they kept a number of them for a very long time in segregation. In some cases, they demanded limitations on what people could say or read or associate after they were released. All of this tended to undermine their case. So when when the president campaigned on this issue, I think a lot of people wanted to see this chapter closed and he certainly did that. I mean, this was broader than most people expected or even asked for.  This article was written by Fox News staff.

Trump signed pardons for approximately 1,500 defendants who were charged with crimes stemming from the riot at the U.S. Capitol, fulfilling a promise he made in December to act quickly and pardon them. 

Trump also commuted the sentences of six people on Monday, including the leaders of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys extremist groups.