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Last week, Donald Trump issued blanket pardons to over 1,500 individuals convicted for their roles in the January 6 Capitol attack.

Now, NPR is reporting that many of these individuals have prior convictions for heinous crimes—including rape, sexual abuse of minors, domestic violence, and manslaughter.

We’ll tell you more in a moment, but NPR's report shatters Trump and Fox News' narrative that the Jan. 6 rioters were “patriots.” If you believe in building a progressive media alternative to expose far-right propaganda like this, please chip in $25 or more today.

Here’s more from NPR:

• Matthew Huttle: Convicted of severely abusing his 3-year-old son, Huttle was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison. After his pardon for the Capitol riot, he was fatally shot during a confrontation with law enforcement in Indiana—just days after his release.
• Peter Schwartz: With 38 prior convictions—including assault with a deadly weapon and domestic violence—Schwartz was sentenced to over 14 years for attacking police officers with pepper spray during the Capitol riot. Trump’s pardon has now released him back into the community.
• Theodore Middendorf: Awaiting sentencing for striking a Capitol window with a flagpole on January 6, Middendorf was convicted in May 2024 of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old child and received a 19-year prison sentence. Despite this, he benefited from Trump’s pardons.

Yet Fox News and others on the right keep framimg these individuals as "patriots," in a deliberate attempt to help Donald Trump avoid accountability and rewrite the history of January 6:

• Sean Hannity asked Trump about the pardons without mentioning that many recipients had prior convictions for brutal crimes, including domestic violence and assaults on police officers.
• Laura Ingraham hosted two pardoned rioters, including Brandon Straka, who had pleaded guilty to inciting violence. Straka falsely claimed on her show that the FBI "fabricated" his case, while Ingraham sympathized and questioned the legitimacy of the prosecution.
• Fox & Friends co-host Lawrence Jones suggested that Trump only pardoned non-violent offenders, ignoring those who attacked police with weapons and chemical sprays, not to mention the criminal backgrounds uncovered by NPR

By distorting facts and pushing conspiracy theories, Fox and Trump are teaming up to normalize violent insurrection and undermine the rule of law.

At COURIER, we’re here to set the record straight. We deliver direct, factual reporting—free from corporate agendas—so the truth isn’t hidden behind propaganda or fear of retribution.

Will you chip in $25 today to help us continue this critical work? With just 48 hours left in January, we’re $5,000 short of our $50,000 fundraising goal.

Chip in $25 now!In solidarity,
The COURIER Team