MAGA Granny denies Trump pardon, giving hope that J6ers can do the right thing
How Pamela Hemphill realized she was in what she called a cult and denied the pardon granted to her by the president
On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump began his presidency in the most predictable way possible: he pardoned, or commuted the sentences of, the traitors who stormed the capitol on January 6, 2021. This came to over 1,500 people in total, including prominent leaders of extremist groups like The Proud Boys and The Oathkeepers. It was one of the most disgraceful days in American history, and easily one of the most preposterous things a president has ever done on day 1.
Especially when you consider that in four months alone, 14 of those that were pardoned have already run into trouble with the law again. The fine folks at r/CapitolConsequences kept a running tally for awhile, with some of the most egregious re-offenders being Dillon Harrington (indicted for rape), Andrew Kyle Grigsby (caught with CSAM), and Theodore Middendorf (criminal sexual assault of a child). Here’s another example not on the list: Andrew Taake, who solicited a minor.
Only the finest for Donald Trump. And if the J6ers had a conscience, they would know that this was an ill-gained pardon. It’s their pardon to do whatever they want with, but it’s very clear that it was in service of a very disturbed and evil, thin-skinned man. They do not need to pledge their allegiance to him.
Which is what makes the story of Pamela Hemphill from Idaho so promising. CBS reports that Pamela, AKA the infamous “MAGA Granny,” is the only J6er to have refused her pardon outright. She is in the process of contacting Senator James Risch to have her pardon formally overturned with the Department of Justice. As she told CBS:
"The pardons just contribute to their narrative, which is all lies, propaganda. We were guilty, period. We all know that they're gaslighting us. They are using January 6 to just continue Trump's narrative that the Justice Department was weaponized. They were not. When the FBI came to my home, oh my God, they were very professional. They treated me very good."
Pamela stands in stark contrast to virtually all other J6ers, with some like Ryan Kelley considering a run for the Governorship, and others just talking shit. I hate that I have to say this, but her candor is really refreshing and goes a long way toward helping people feel like they haven’t been crazy the entire time the president has been painting J6ers as “victims of political persecution.”
Even more encouraging is that she wasn’t somebody swept up in the chaos, caught on accident. Pamela was DEEP in it:
“Prosecutors…alleged Hemphill galvanized others to descend on Washington for the certification of the electoral vote after the 2020 election, according to court filings.
"On December 28, 2020, Hemphill posted encouragement to go to Washington, D.C. for January 6, saying 'its a WAR!' On January 1, 2021, she posted a message 'on my way to Washington DC January 6th," the prosecution said.
The story of Pamela Hemphill should give us all hope that the J6ers really are just friends, neighbors, family, and peers who were led astray by the radicalizing rhetoric of Trump and his sycophantic cronies. Her story is one of an understanding that actions SHOULD have consequences, and that Trump signaling that any and all allegiance to him keeps you above the law is damaging to democracy.
Although she is but one of 1,500 people, her voice rings loudest amongst everybody that was at the capitol that day, and I have no choice but to commend her for being brave - especially since Trump will undoubtedly hear about this on his SlopTV programming and post something very mean about her online.
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