The attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, interrupted a joint session of Congress that was in the midst of affirming the results of the 2020 presidential election. It caused an estimated $2.8 million in damage to the Capitol and triggered what has been described as the largest criminal investigation in U.S. history.
More than 1,500 people were arrested in connection with the attack across the country. That includes in Illinois, where at least 53 residents faced federal charges. They come from all around the state and include a onetime CEO, a Chicago police officer and a member of the Proud Boys.
President Donald Trump granted a sweeping pardon on Jan. 20, 2025, to nearly everyone "convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021." As of the date of Trump's pardon, 43 of the 53 Illinois residents had been convicted and sentenced. Trump also ordered the attorney general to seek dismissal of all pending indictments.
