“President Trump’s decision to pardon individuals charged in connection with the violent assault on our Capitol is a disgraceful affront to our justice system and an insult to the American people. This shocking move undermines accountability for one of the darkest and most dangerous moments in our nation’s history, when the peaceful transfer of power, one of the core tenets of our democracy, was under attack. By excusing this assault on our democratic institutions, the President is sending a dangerous message that political violence and attempts to overturn the will of the people will be tolerated.

“The use of presidential power in this way signals that we are entering a much darker chapter of American politics. The United States Supreme Court’s recent decision declaring that a president cannot be prosecuted for “official acts” has made President Trump immune to our justice system, which he has promised to weaponize on his quest for absolute power. The President has made it clear that he is willing to pardon individuals who have committed crimes on his behalf, and it is unlikely he will stop using this tactic anytime soon. It is time for us to reexamine the pardoning power itself because this is certainly not what the founders had in mind when they endowed the office of the president with such enormous authority.

“This moment demands that we remain steadfast in defending the values of democracy, justice, and accountability. These pardons cannot erase the harm caused on that day or the lasting impact on our nation, but we must ensure that such an attack on our republic is never repeated. The President may try to rewrite history, but the American people will not forget what happened or abandon the principles that make our democracy strong.”