Outgoing US Capitol Police chief criticizes Trump pardons for Jan. 6 defendants

Outgoing United States Capitol Police (USCP) Chief J. Thomas Manger has sounded disconnected connected President Donald Trump’s pardons of the Jan. 6 defendants – calling the time of the sweeping pardons 1 of the astir troubling moments of his career, according to a report. 

Manger, who volition discontinue aboriginal this week, has been a vocal professional of those who participated successful the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and lamented Trump pardoning astir each defendants soon aft his inauguration this year.

He told WTOP "I was aggravated and arsenic frustrated astir that arsenic I’ve ever been professionally."

U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger has criticized President Donald Trump for pardoning Jan. 6 defendants. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, left, Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images, right.)

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Manger told the outlet that arsenic discouraging arsenic that was, it made him determined to proceed to marque improvements. "What it made maine consciousness similar is somebody’s got to enactment present and basal up for these cops," Manger said.

Manger has served arsenic USCP main since July 2021 and was hired to rebuild the unit and instrumentality reforms to heighten information and preparedness successful the aftermath of the Jan. 6 riot. The much than 100 betterment recommendations included expanding intelligence, grooming and riot-response capabilities.

He has often condemned the attack, referring to it arsenic an "insurrection" and an onslaught connected democracy. Trump has referred to those who were imprisoned arsenic "hostages." 

"Some radical successful this state judge January 6 wasn’t that bad," Manger told WTOP. "My cops cognize what happened connected January 6. They cognize what happened. They were here."

Manger’s constabulary vocation stretches backmost to 1977, erstwhile helium started retired arsenic an serviceman with the Fairfax County Police Department successful Virginia. He roseate to main of section successful 1998 and remained successful that relation until 2004. Manger became main of constabulary successful Montgomery County, Maryland, successful 2004 and held the presumption until his status successful 2019. 

Americans loyal to then-President Donald Trump rally astatine the U.S. Capitol successful Washington connected Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

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On July 23, 2021, helium was appointed main of the United States Capitol Police, succeeding Acting Chief Yogananda Pittman.

When quality broke that the Justice Department had agreed successful rule to wage $5 cardinal to the household of Ashli Babbitt, a erstwhile Air Force seasoned who was changeable dormant during the Capitol Riot, Manger sent a connection to his department’s officers penning that helium was "extremely disappointed."

"In 2021, the DOJ said that determination was nary grounds to amusement that instrumentality enforcement broke the law. After a thorough investigation, it was determined to beryllium a justified shooting. "This colony sends a chilling connection to instrumentality enforcement officers crossed our federation — particularly those who person a protective ngo similar ours," Manger wrote, according to the Washington Post.

In December 2022, the USCP were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal — the highest civilian grant bestowed by Congress — for their bravery connected Jan. 6, 2021. Manger accepted the grant connected behalf of the department.

U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger is sworn successful to attest earlier a Senate Rules and Administration Committee oversight proceeding connected the Jan. 6, 2021, onslaught connected the Capitol connected Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022, successful Washington. Manger has sounded disconnected connected President Donald Trump’s pardons of the Jan. 6 defendants. (Tom Williams/Pool via AP)

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The USCP dates backmost to 1800, erstwhile the Congress moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., and a lone watchman, John Golding, was hired to support the Capitol Building, according to USCP website.

After a fig of incidents successful 1827 that could person been prevented with capable information and surveillance, past President John Quincy Adams asked that a regular Capitol Police unit beryllium established. On May 2, 1828, Congress passed an enactment that expanded the constabulary regulations of the City of Washington to see the Capitol and Capitol Square. It is connected this day that the USCP commemorates its founding.