On Jan. 6, 2021, a number of individuals tried to overturn the results of the election, in a most violent fashion, assaulting the Capitol and attacking police officers. Deaths and destruction followed. Pardoning those who committed such crimes goes against our law enforcement, our electoral democracy, and the American people.

In Sareen Habeshian’s Axios’ article “Police Union That Endorsed Trump Blasts Jan. 6 Pardons,” writes “President Trump's near-total pardon of Jan. 6 rioters was denounced by the Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police union in the U.S., and the International Association of Chiefs of Police on Tuesday.”

John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in Georgia. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu. His Twitter account is @JohnTures2.