In a candid interview with CNN on Thursday, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), former chairman of the January 6 House Select Committee, revealed that he would accept a preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden if offered. The statement came in response to concerns over potential political retribution from former President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly suggested that committee members should face legal consequences for their role in investigating the events of January 6, 2021.
The January 6 Select Committee, which Thompson led alongside Republican Vice Chair Liz Cheney, spent months probing Trump’s alleged role in inciting the Capitol riots. Despite their findings and public hearings, the committee’s work remains a point of contention. Accusations of misconduct, evidence tampering, and political bias have surfaced, fueling debates over the committee’s credibility and legacy.
Calls for Pardons Amid Threats of Retaliation
In his conversation with CNN’s Jim Acosta, Thompson firmly denied any wrongdoing by himself or other committee members. “We are members of Congress. We operate based on our direction from Congress. There are specific laws that give security to members of Congress. I hope the president would take that into consideration,” Thompson said.
Acosta pressed further, referencing Trump’s recent claims that the committee members “belong behind bars.” He asked Thompson if he was concerned about legal or political consequences under a future Trump administration.
“I’ve not done anything wrong,” Thompson insisted. “But if the president offers [a pardon] to me or other members of the committee, I think it – I would accept it. It’s his choice.”
Acosta also noted reports that the Biden administration is considering issuing preemptive pardons to shield individuals Trump might target in retaliation. The discussion reflects growing fears among Democrats about Trump’s potential return to power and his threats to take action against his political adversaries.
Allegations of Evidence Tampering
While Thompson defended the integrity of the January 6 Committee’s work, a Republican-led inquiry has alleged that the committee mishandled evidence, raising serious questions about its practices.
Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight under the House Administration Committee, issued a report in January 2024 accusing the committee of “deleting records and hiding evidence.” The report claimed that key files, including video recordings of witness interviews and depositions, were deleted or password-protected before Republicans gained the majority in the House.
“The Select Committee deleted records and hid evidence,” Loudermilk’s report stated. “Reps. Thompson and Cheney failed to turn over video recordings of witness interviews and depositions despite using these recordings in their high-profile, primetime hearings.”
The report further revealed the recovery of over 100 deleted or encrypted files, including interviews with witnesses who allegedly had firsthand knowledge of Trump’s actions leading up to January 6. Some files were reportedly deleted just days before Republicans assumed control of the House following the 2022 midterm elections.
Trump’s Allegations of “Sabotage”
Former President Trump has seized on these allegations, using his Truth Social platform to accuse the committee of engaging in deliberate sabotage.
“Why did American Disaster Liz Cheney … ILLEGALLY DELETE & DESTROY most of the evidence, and related items, from the January 6th Committee of Political Thugs and Misfits?” Trump posted on January 1, 2024. He further claimed that the deletion of evidence hindered his legal team’s ability to prepare a defense.
Trump’s accusations also included criticism of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whom he blames for rejecting his alleged offer to deploy 10,000 National Guard troops to secure the Capitol on January 6.
Contradicting Testimony on National Guard Deployment
Adding to the controversy, Loudermilk’s committee uncovered evidence contradicting the January 6 Committee’s findings regarding Trump’s actions. A newly released transcript of a previously withheld interview with Anthony Ornato, a former White House deputy chief of staff under Trump, suggests that Trump’s administration did request National Guard assistance before January 6.
According to the transcript, then-President Trump explicitly ordered senior military officials and Pentagon leaders to “do whatever it takes” to secure the Capitol. However, former acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller reportedly defied the order, stating during a 2021 interview with the Defense Department’s inspector general, “There is absolutely no way I was putting U.S. military forces at the Capitol, period.”
The revelation has prompted questions about the chain of command and the decision-making process within the Pentagon in the days leading up to the Capitol riots.
The Role of the January 6 Committee
The January 6 Committee, established by a Democrat-controlled Congress in 2021, was tasked with investigating the causes of the Capitol riots and Trump’s role in allegedly inciting them. The committee held televised hearings, during which it presented evidence and testimony from witnesses, including Republicans and former Trump administration officials.
The committee’s findings portrayed Trump as a central figure in the events of January 6, accusing him of encouraging his supporters to storm the Capitol in an effort to overturn the 2020 election results. However, critics argue that the committee’s work was politically motivated and lacked transparency.
Thompson’s Defense of the Committee
In his CNN interview, Thompson defended the committee’s work and its findings. He praised the staff who supported the investigation and the witnesses who testified under oath.
“I think the staff of the committee who did a wonderful job; I think the witnesses who were primarily Republicans did a great job under oath. They or we were not found to have perjured themselves or anything like that,” Thompson said. “We’ve had two years of review by Republican chairpersons, and they found nothing wrong.”
Thompson dismissed allegations of evidence tampering as baseless and politically motivated. He argued that the committee’s work was thorough and conducted in accordance with congressional rules.
Political Fallout
The allegations against the January 6 Committee and the calls for preemptive pardons highlight the deep political divisions surrounding the Capitol riots. For Democrats, the committee’s work was a necessary step toward accountability and preventing future attacks on democracy. For Republicans, it represents an overreach of power and an attempt to vilify Trump and his supporters.
The controversy also underscores the stakes of the 2024 presidential election. With Trump seeking a return to the White House, his rhetoric about targeting political opponents has raised concerns about the erosion of democratic norms and the use of presidential power for retribution.
Conclusion
Rep. Bennie Thompson’s openness to a preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden reflects the heightened tensions and fears of political retaliation in the aftermath of the January 6 investigation. While Thompson and other committee members maintain their innocence, the allegations of evidence mishandling have cast a shadow over their work and fueled partisan debates.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, the legacy of the January 6 Committee remains a polarizing issue, emblematic of the broader divisions within American politics. Whether preemptive pardons will be issued — and how they might impact the ongoing narrative — remains to be seen.
