Pardoned Capitol Rioters' Unrelated Gun, Drug Charges May Be Dismissed as DOJ Seeks to Expand Trump's Executive Order

The order issued by Trump on his first day in office provided rioters with clemency for "offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol" on Jan. 6. (Credit: Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images)

The Trump Administration's Department of Justice revealed that the President's decision to grant January 6 rioters clemency also covers other separate crimes they were charged with which were discovered by the FBI during their investigation into the Capitol riots.

Firearm-related charges were levied against two January 6 rioters amid the FBI's investigation into the events at the capitol turned up evidence of crimes not related to the riots. Federal prosecutors submitted filings in which they requested that judges dismiss these charges, indicating a more expansive interpretation of the pardons granted to January 6 rioters by the President, according to documents obtained by NPR.