Judge grants Trump admin's request to dismiss January 6 case against Proud Boys
Source: CNN Politics
PUBLISHED Jul 11, 2026, 12:17 AM ET
A federal judge on Friday dismissed the seditious conspiracy case against several Proud Boys members granting a request from Trumps Justice Department and undoing one of the Biden administrations most celebrated victories against those who it said inspired the January 6, 2021, attack on American democracy.
US District Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, begrudgingly agreed to drop the case against the four members, saying he lacks the authority to compel the Executive to pursue a prosecution, full stop.
President Trumps views about the prosecution of those who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6whether those views are based on fact or fictionare well known, as is his intention to extend clemency to them through the Executive Order, Judge Kelly said, referring to Trump on his first day back in office signing an order commuting their sentences.
Trumps order granted pardons to over 1,000 people convicted in the attack but left in place the convictions of the four Proud Boys members Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl and Dominic Pezzola. In April, the Justice Department under Todd Blanche moved to vacate their convictions.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/11/politics/judge-dismisses-january-6-case-proud-boys
Botany
(78,426 posts)This was a violent attack on our Constitutional Democracy, Law Enforcement Personnel, and the rule of law by know nothing racists who bought into Trumps repeated lies about the election. Benito Mussolini
came to power in 1923 in the same way except he had his Blackshirts storm the Italian Capitol in Rome
Trump had his Proud Boys and other shit bags attempt to do the same thing to the U.S. Capitol in 2021.
People including Trump should still be in prison for January 6th but now they are free and some of them
are even Ice Agents.
rampartd
(5,867 posts)america must change or it remains a failed gangster state. checks and balances need teeth or partisan solidary will circumvent them.
i think the balkanized ungovernable america that conservatives appear to desire is too weak to defend vs russia or china or home grown cults.
Botany
(78,426 posts)Last edited Sat Jul 11, 2026, 07:26 AM - Edit history (1)
and Christo Fascist groups who are the minority of Americans but with dirty elections, a media and other
platforms that push lies 24/7, a packed SCOTUS, and the Electoral College America is all but over.
I try to avoid talking to the climate change isnt real mouth breathers but they have been so inculcated with
the lies pushed by the fossil fuel industries and even though from where I am sitting right now only 2 miles away is the Ohio State Universitys Institute of Polar Studies which literally has millions of pieces of evidence and data that supports the science of human caused climate change but they refuse to hear the
truth.
The proud boys fucked up thinking is another example of purposefully driven misinformation campaigns
and a non stop attack on education and diversity.
rampartd
(5,867 posts)have already bought the high ground and believe that they will not be effected.
they are wrong..
Vinca
(54,635 posts)purr-rat beauty
(1,745 posts)That judge will be looking over their shoulder for the rest of their life
Make em uncomfortable if they can't be comfortable doing the right thing
DrFunkenstein
(8,978 posts)You need to watch more Fox News! Trump is on record more than 175 times saying that it was a highly coordinated attack by the Supreme Leaders of Antifa, that famously tightly-structured group of freedom-haters.
AZJonnie
(4,279 posts)from consequences from law breaking, while simultaneously holding their enemies accountable to absolute fullest extent of law, and when that fails, they harass them with civil suits, investigations, loss of contracts, etc.
47's is the absolute most corrupt and dangerous regime this country has ever faced.
niyad
(135,821 posts)hookaleft
(1,492 posts)Jeanine Pirro who asked the court to dismiss the convictions based on "in the interest of justice". When the judge asked her to explain she asked for more time. So I guess Blanche took over the case?? Anyone else remember that?
BumRushDaShow
(174,276 posts)by her predecessor Matthew Graves, who oversaw all those cases -

But this last set outstanding, were almost all seditious conspiracy cases, and as soon as Blanche took over for Bondi (where Bondi wanted to dismiss the Proud Boys' lawsuit against DOJ), he was the one to sign off on the dismissal of charges request for the Proud Boys.
calimary
(91,697 posts)Sorry. Thats all Ive got.
sinkingfeeling
(58,359 posts)mdbl
(9,113 posts)I don't think we even deserve the title American anymore - it's an insult to other countries on the same continent.
We need to find a way to prosecute these criminals on behalf of the normal people of the U.S. - The Dump Administration has turned our justice system into a get out of jail free card for the worst criminals in this country.
purr-rat beauty
(1,745 posts)One day the ball will back in our court and this judge will get dunked
travelingthrulife
(5,786 posts)BumRushDaShow
(174,276 posts)electric_blue68
(28,119 posts)orleans
(37,592 posts)who "begrudgingly agreed to drop the case against the four members, saying he lacks the authority to compel the Executive to pursue a prosecution, full stop. ?
i don't know. but it sounds like his hands were tied. and he "begrudgingly" liked it.
RetiredParatrooper
(277 posts)They also infest the SCOTUS.
Justice matters.
(10,279 posts)If so, by who (let's hope a group defending the rule of law steps up to the plate).