CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A sweeping presidential pardon for January 6 rioters drew the criticism of North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis on Tuesday.
Tillis told reporters he was surprised after Trump pardoned more than 1,500 defendants, including people convicted of attacking Capitol police.
“I just can’t agree. I’m about to file two bills that will increase the penalties up to and including the death penalty for the murder of a police officer,” said Tillis.
Just last week, during the confirmation hearing for Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi, Tillis argued it was absurd to suggest the Trump administration would pardon violent offenders.
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“I find it hard to believe that the president of the United States or you would look at facts that were used to convict the violent people on January the 6th and say it was just an intemperate moment,” he said.
But there are around a dozen rioters that were arrested in North and South Carolina for violence against police during the insurrection.
That includes Aiden Bilyard from Cary, North Carolina. He was seen in multiple videos storming the Capitol, at times armed with both a baseball bat and pepper spray. Court documents say he pepper sprayed officers. Bilyard pleaded guilty in 2022 and was sentenced to 40 months in prison in March 2023.
Nicholas Languerland was arrested in Little River, South Carolina. He was sentenced to 44 months behind bars. Images provided by the FBI show Languerland throwing what appeared to be a trash can at police, at one point even using an officer’s shield to advance into the Capitol. He was released in August 2024.
James Grant, also from Cary, was charged with several violent offenses. FBI images show Grant leading the initial breach of the Capitol perimeter, pushing barricades into officers. He was sentenced to three years in prison last September.
Tillis said the pardons issued by both Presidents Trump and Biden in the past few days may serve as a reason to review how much power is given to the executive in this arena.
