Jan. 6 defendants hoping for pardon from President-elect Trump

Nearly 100 Florida residents are eagerly watching President-elect Donald Trump to see if he’ll pardon them for their actions on January 6, 2021.

Florida has the most arrests of any state, by far, stemming from the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

In a recent interview with NBC News, Trump said he’ll consider offering pardons and clemency for many of the Jan. 6 defendants.

“Those people have suffered long and hard. There may be some exceptions to it, I’ll have to look,” Trump said.

Nearly 1,600 people have been charged in connection with the attack.

The Justice Department says the typical charged rioter committed multiple federal crimes.

Pamella Seay, a Law Professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, says the constitution gives the President broad authority for pardons.

“It’s quite broad, as a matter of fact. It is a constitutional right of the Presidency that he can pardon anyone. Anyone who is charged with a federal crime,” said Seay.

While the incoming president may be hinting at pardons, the DOJ isn’t slowing down.

In what has since become the largest FBI investigation in history, prosecutors say they’re still considering charging an additional 200 people.

“My gut feeling is that he would not provide a pardon for those who committed those egregious acts,” Seay said. “The ones who attacked people. The ones who harmed others. The ones with harmful intent.”