Attorney for Capitol Rioters Says Trump Floating Jan. 6 Pardons Makes His Clients ‘Far Less Likely to Cooperate’
A lawyer representing several people charged in connection to the storming of the U.S. Capitol said Donald Trump is influencing the cases of his clients by offering them pardons.
On Wednesday, CNN’s John Berman noted how the former president used a Newsmax interview to double down on his idea to pardon convicted January 6th rioters if elected president in 2024. Berman questioned attorney Robert Jenkins about the former president’s comments — asking if one of Jenkins’s clients would accept a pardon from Trump in this situation.
Jenkins said it was “premature” to say whether or not his clients would accept a pardon from Trump, so Berman asked if his clients were at least aware of Trump floating pardons for them.
“I think they, like most Americans, have been paying close attention to the media coverage of the events surrounding January 6th,” Jenkins said. “So I think that they are acutely aware of what former President Trump has suggested.”
From there, Jenkins was questioned on how Trump’s idea could impact his clients’ cases, and whether the offer of a potential pardon would give him any kind of legal “leverage.” The attorney answered by saying it would be “ill-advised” and “irresponsible” for any criminal defense lawyer to tell their client not to accept a pardon.
“I don’t know if it would necessarily give me leverage,” Jenkins said, “but certainly I don’t think there’s any criminal defense attorney in the country that would advise a client to turn down a pardon. A pardon results in the ultimate best case scenario for any given client who is facing a criminal prosecution.”
Jenkins went on to acknowledge Trump’s level of influence over these cases by floating pardons.
“Knowing that is awaiting you at the end, regardless of the risk you might take by moving forward with litigation, absolutely it would impact not only the attorney’s perspective but also the client’s also,” Jenkins said.
“So less likely to cooperate potentially,” Berman observed.
“Far less likely to cooperate and probably more likely to proceed to a trial,” said Jenkins.
Eventually, the CNN host asked if the ex-president’s actions were tantamount to “witness tampering,” as Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) — a member of the Jan. 6 House Select Committee — suggested earlier on New Day. Jenkins didn’t think Trump’s influence rose to the level of witness tampering, “but he is certainly putting his fingers on the scales. I’ll say that.”
Watch above, via CNN.
