# He has to free the J6ers, right? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 22, 2024, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613 "2024-11-22T15:11:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/41 "2024-11-23T05:07:46Z")
I understand why you say this, but I don’t believe in your predictive powers more than I do mine. We will see. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/42 "2024-11-23T05:15:37Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > But how else is he to stay out of jail? This is something on which he (and many people here) may be getting it wrong. I said elsewhere, safe money bet is _he was NEVER “going to jail” anyway._ The system would have recognized privilege… IF he did what other white-collar offenders do and _Stopped Digging._ But since he won’t do that, and people keep insisting they WANT to see him “go to jail”, he has to keep fighting it. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/43 "2024-11-23T05:35:05Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > The system would have recognized privilege… IF he did what other white-collar offenders do and _Stopped Digging._ Seems to me that even as it was the justice system went out of its way to avoid holding him accountable. He violated the terms of his bail dozens of times and committed contempt of court constantly and they refused to do anything about it. Even after he was convicted they postponed his sentencing over and over again as if they were hoping he’d win so they wouldn’t have to. By the time this term is over he’ll be able to plead mental incompetence to stand trial. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/44 "2024-11-23T05:49:54Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > Nobody was convicted while he was in office. I don’t think anyone was even arrested yet. Pardoning unnamed people for possible crimes isn’t exactly a straightforward pardon. > > That didn’t bother Carter when he pardoned the draft-dodgers. > > [Proclamation 4483 - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proclamation_4483) > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > Turning them down will make him look bad to his worshipers. He’s going to look like a hero and do it before he’s even asked. > > “I don’t care about you. I just want your vote. I don’t care.” > > [x.com](https://x.com/Acyn/status/1799896041648718028) I’m really not sure what you are arguing. Of course I know about the Carter pardon. Not at all the same thing. If Trump blanket pardoned for J6 before he left office it would have been an admission that crimes had been committed. At the time he was fighting impeachment and the possibility of being barred from office. Then it would have been against his interest to pardon. Now it will make him look good to his base and feed his ego. Are you saying he’s not going to pardon them? To be honest it’s hard to tell what you are thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/45 "2024-11-23T05:54:26Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Are you saying he’s not going to pardon them? Not all of them. Just the ones who happen to book a two-week stay at Trump International, pay in full in advance, and then no-show their nonrefundable reservation dates. The rest? There’s nothing they can do for him, so he doesn’t care what happens to them. They can’t vote for him again. They got caught, which makes them “losers” in his book, and they’re already “suckers” for fighting for him in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/46 "2024-11-23T06:02:25Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > Are you saying he’s not going to pardon them? > > Not all of them. Just the ones who happen to book a two-week stay at Trump International, pay in full in advance, and then no-show their nonrefundable reservation dates. > > The rest? There’s nothing they can do for him, so he doesn’t care what happens to them. As sure as I am that the Sun is coming up in the morning I’m sure you are wrong. As long as Trump has been in the public eye it still surprises me how little people understand him. It’s not about money. It’s about ego and adoration. The convictions were an indirect attack on him. Pardons are a way to get even and own his enemies. The Cult will love him for it. With a simple no effort act he strokes his ego and feels the adoration of his Cult. It’s a no brainer. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/47 "2024-11-23T06:12:18Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The Cult will love him for it. With a simple no effort act he strokes his ego and feels the adoration of his Cult. Trump no longer needs the Cult, though. He’s gotten everything he wanted from them. They’re the ones who need him, so if they expect some pro quo from him they’re gonna have to pony up the quid. This is a man who no longer feels any obligation to keep any promise he has ever made to anyone. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/48 "2024-11-23T08:36:54Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > > [@TriPolar](#): > > > > Nobody can stop him from pardoning them so he will. If he’s worried about expending political capital on this right away he’ll do it later as a distraction from some other disastrous mistake he’s made. > > That would require deep thought. That’s just not possible. Sideshows are his main strategy. Requires no deep thought on his part. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/49 "2024-11-23T13:41:38Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > The best thing about a blanket pardon is, if it’s worded the right way, it will include himself. Oh shit. You may be right. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/50 "2024-11-23T14:20:02Z")
It really is a great point. In fact, it needn’t be a blanket pardon to serve that purpose. He could pardon anyone who did not personally commit an act of violence (worded better than that, with appropriate legalese). That way he gets a big PR splash, not nearly as much blowback, and most important to him, sets the stage for testing the constitutional validity of self-pardons. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/51 "2024-11-23T14:53:20Z")
It’s freaking weird. Accepting a pardon, is an admission of guilt though, is it not? Not that Trump would care, or understand. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/52 "2024-11-23T15:00:37Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > and most important to him, sets the stage for testing the constitutional validity of self-pardons. I think SCOTUS has his back on that already. Will be interesting (and frightful) to see how this pans out. This is mob boss stuff. Pure and simple. Like saying Putin is not guilty of the invasion of Ukraine because _he_ never picked up a gun. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/53 "2024-11-23T15:01:25Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Trump no longer needs the Cult, though. But as was said, he _wants_ the _adoration_. He _wants_ to be applauded and praised, and _for others to see him being applauded and praised_, as he stands there saying what great things he has done, whether or not he has or is only imagining them. And if it means people buy and pay their dollars into the next grift hey, even better. So he can make a grand gesture to look like he’s rewarding the cult members. > [@TriPolar](#): > > Sideshows are his main strategy. Requires no deep thought Yeah, really. Some of us may be overthinking him. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/54 "2024-11-23T15:03:02Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > > > But he keeps on talking about third term. > > Trump talks about a lot of things he can’t do and has no intention of doing. This isn’t a new phenomenon. Remember “if I’m president Crooked Hillary will be in jail”? > > > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > > > Pardons are a way to convince his campaign contributors they got something for their money. > > He doesn’t care about his campaign contributors. He got what he needs from them and now they have nothing else to offer. > > > [@Mallard](#): > > > > I don’t think he wants to pi$$ them off > > He’d probably think not pardoning them is funny. > > > [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > > > Are you sure it’s his last term? > > > > Because I’m not. > > Just because he won an election doesn’t mean he isn’t still mentally and physically deteriorating. Even if he could somehow get around the Constitution (which he can’t) he’ll be in no shape to run four years from now. 50% of Americans voted for him. That’s a number that boggles the mind. But I do think he’s concerned about his cult having a positive image of his legacy which is now 50% of the electorate so I don’t think for a moment that he will not pardon the Jan 6 terrorists. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/55 "2024-11-23T15:10:32Z")
> [@Mallard](#): > > That’s a number that boggles the mind. But I do think he’s concerned about his cult having a positive image of his legacy which is now 50% of the electorate so I don’t think for a moment that he will not pardon the Jan 6 terrorists. As delusional and demented as they are, will they still support the guy that could have pardoned them 4 years ago? Are any of them smart enough to understand this? ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/56 "2024-11-23T15:14:25Z")
No one seems to remember anything more than a few months old. Heck, IMHO until Biden effed up that first debate (I still think he had a small stroke) I believe this election was a shoe in for the democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/57 "2024-11-23T15:15:52Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > It’s freaking weird. Accepting a pardon, is an admission of guilt though, is it not? > > Not that Trump would care, or understand. You don’t admit guilt. Accepting a pardon carries an imputation of guilt (the wording of the appropriate caselaw). That’s not the same thing. You can find plenty of examples of people who accepted a pardon who don’t admit guilt. Besides a large majority of those who have been found guilty already admitted guilt by taking a plea deal. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/58 "2024-11-23T15:29:36Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > > [@Smapti](#): > > > > Trump no longer needs the Cult, though. > > But as was said, he _wants_ the _adoration_. He _wants_ to be applauded and praised, and _for others to see him being applauded and praised_, as he stands there saying what great things he has done, whether or not he has or is only imagining them. And if it means people buy and pay their dollars into the next grift hey, even better. So he can make a grand gesture to look like he’s rewarding the cult members. Exactly right. If he signs the pardon on the 20th he will get to see the Fox and Friends crew praising him for it on the 21st. He loves that. Let’s say he doesn’t issue a unilateral pardon. Now in the months to come somewhere around 1,000 pardon applications come in for people he promised to pardon. The crowd cheered when he promised to pardon. He’s going to ignore the requests? Of course not. He wants those cheers and adoration. It’s not about keeping promises. It’s about getting those cheers and not hearing those followers turn on him. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/59 "2024-11-23T15:47:52Z")
The crowd cheers when he blows a microphone, but I don’t imagine we’ll see him follow up on that promise. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613/60 "2024-11-23T18:19:54Z")
A pardon also signals to those who will be committing more crimes on his behalf during the next four years that he has their back. He’ll pardon them. Probably not on day 1, when he’s already in the news, but about a month in when he needs a distraction from the latest scandal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-has-to-free-the-j6ers-right/1010613.md?page=4)