Judge Shuts Down Trump Pardon for Jan. 6 Rioter’s Shocking FBI Assassination Plot!

A federal judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump’s blanket pardon for January 6 rioters does not apply to a man accused of planning to assassinate FBI agents.

The decision came in the case of Edward Kelley, a Tennessee man who took part in the 2021 Capitol attack. While Kelley received a pardon for his role in the riot, the court ruled that it does not cover a separate criminal conspiracy to kill law enforcement officials.

What Did Edward Kelley Do?

Kelley was an active participant in the January 6 riot, allegedly among the first to breach the Capitol after assaulting officers. His actions led to criminal charges, but Trump’s mass pardon for those involved in the riot granted him legal protection from those offenses.

However, Kelley’s legal troubles didn’t end there. In late 2022, authorities discovered he was involved in a plot to attack an FBI field office and assassinate agents investigating his role in the riot. Prosecutors presented damning evidence, including recordings of Kelley discussing plans to use bombs and drones to target law enforcement personnel.

Why the Judge Rejected the Pardon Defense

Kelley’s lawyers argued that Trump’s pardon should cover the assassination plot since it was related to the January 6 investigation. They claimed that because Kelley was under FBI scrutiny due to his role in the riot, any actions he took against those agents should fall under the pardon’s protections.

But U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan strongly disagreed. He ruled that Kelley’s plan to kill FBI agents was “entirely independent criminal conduct” that had nothing to do with his actions on January 6. The judge pointed out that the murder plot took place over a year after the riot and occurred in Tennessee, not Washington, D.C.

What This Means for Trump’s Pardons

This ruling sets an important legal precedent, making it clear that Trump’s January 6 pardons do not give rioters a free pass for other crimes they may have committed later.

Legal experts say this could be the first of many cases testing the limits of Trump’s controversial decision to pardon hundreds of Capitol rioters. Some courts have already ruled against rioters trying to use their pardons to dismiss unrelated charges, such as illegal weapons possession.

As legal battles over these pardons continue, this case sends a strong message: a presidential pardon is not a “get out of jail free” card for all crimes.