Among the hundreds of demonstrators who were involved in the infamous January 6, 2021, riot on Capitol Hill, one has just spoken out on how he regrets his actions that day.
Jerod Hughes was one of the first protestors to enter the federal building in the incident nearly four years ago. He turned himself in to law enforcement, entering a plea of guilty on an obstruction charge related to an official proceeding. However, he still believes that he and his fellow protestors were motivated by good intentions.
Hughes is one of many supporters of former president Donald Trump who believe the 2020 election was stolen to favor President Joe Biden’s campaign. The 39-year-old construction worker traveled from Montana to attend the rally outside the Capitol while Congress certified the election results. Although he faced no charges of violence, Hughes did kick a door down which enabled others to illegally enter the Capitol Building.
Even though Hughes remains convinced of the noble cause which led to him and his fellow protestors taking a stance in Washington, D.C., he conceded on a recent 60 Minutes interview that he takes “some of the responsibility” for the chaos that ensued on that day. He specifically mentioned his involvement in “letting people in” and “being a part of that mob” as his regrets.
Hughes added that he and other Americans view Trump as an “outsider” who is “trying to help us,” likening him to the help of “the little guy” who is up “against the big government.”
Over 1,000 people have been convicted for their actions related to the January 6 attack. Roughly 350 trials remain pending in court while the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) continues tracking down suspects.
Prosecution against Capitol demonstrators was restricted back in June, when the Supreme Court limited the legal capacity for prosecutors to charge rioters and opening the door for suspects to be freed from lengthy prison sentences. The following July, the nation’s highest court also determined that former presidents were not allowed to be prosecuted for actions that were conducted as official acts.
This decision left Trump’s prosecution from special counsel Jack Smith delayed and ultimately more challenging to prove, even amid ongoing allegations that he incited the riot almost four years ago.
