On Friday (July 10), a federal judge dismissed the convictions of four members of the Proud Boys involved in the January 6 Capitol riot in Washington, D.C. The decision came after the Department of Justice requested the dismissal, following President Donald Trump's issuance of approximately 1,500 pardons to individuals convicted over the riot last year. The dismissed convictions, which include seditious conspiracy charges, are now closed permanently.

U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly, appointed by President Trump in 2017, granted the motion to dismiss the convictions of Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola with prejudice. This means the case cannot be reopened. Judge Kelly expressed his disapproval of the administration's decision but noted that he had no authority to challenge the executive branch's decision to abandon the prosecution.

Judge Kelly stated, "The decisions to issue the Executive Order and to abandon this prosecution—even after the Government secured convictions for serious crimes relating to the attack on the Capitol on January 6—are solely the Executive's." He emphasized that the court's decision to grant the motion should not be mistaken as agreement with the executive's actions.

The four men were among those whose sentences were commuted by President Trump. Nordean received an 18-year sentence, Biggs 17 years, Rehl 15 years, and Pezzola 10 years. NBC News reported that Rehl celebrated the ruling, posting on X, "Finally, it’s ALL OVER! January 6th can now be a thing of the past for me!"

The Justice Department's request to dismiss the case aligns with President Trump's known views on the prosecution of those involved in the Capitol riot. The Guardian noted that Judge Kelly highlighted the attack on January 6 as a perilous event against the U.S. Capitol, Congress, and the Constitution.

The decision marks the end of one of the most significant cases related to the Capitol riot. Politico reported that the Proud Boys have cast the decision as a victory for their group, with Enrique Tarrio, a leader of the group, posting on X, "Justice is SERVED!"

Bill Cunningham