Nearly four years to the day after His father was taken into custody on his part in the January 6 Capitol RiotJackson Reffitt looked in complete shock as President Donald Trump signed an executive order that forgiven and altered phrases for his father and about 1,500 other rebels.
Reffitt has spent most of the last four years hidden, constantly moving every few months. He was the person who Informed the FBI about his father’s involvement in the rebellion. Jackson’s father, Guy Reffitt, was a member of the Texas Three Percenter group when he assaulted the Capitol wearing body armor and wearing pistol and zip ties. He was caught on a camera urging other rioters to assault the Capitol building and told members of his militia group that he intended to drag House Speaker Nancy Pelosi out of the building with her ankles, “with her head hitting every step on the road down.”
“Trump himself has given him a presidential forgiveness to let him be free. This validation is a once-in-life kind of experience he will never get again,” Reffitt tells Wired. “I can’t imagine what he wants to do now. It could become much worse. ”
Reffitt is “terrified” around what will happen later and armed himself with a pistol and rifle to protect himself and his boyfriend. Over the last few years, he has been targeted, bullied and threatened online.
As Trump has forgiven everyone, the threats become even more intense.
In the last 24 hours “it has worsened than ever,” Reffitt tells Wired. “I think just because, again, the validation that Trump brings makes people much more encouraged to just say some vile, disgusting shit.”
Reffitt is not the only family member of released on January 6, a prisoner who cares about Trump’s general pardons. Tasha Adams, Oath Keeper leader Stewart Rhodes, who had his 22-year punishment for a rebellious plot commuting by Trump, is also worried about what might happen. “Stewart is out of prison now and, frankly, I could really use some administrative fund, if it’s,” Adams wrote On her page Gofundme on Tuesday, hours after her divorce was released from prison.
The investigation of the January 6, 2021 attack against the Capitol became the largest in the history of justice and left many far-right militia groups in the country in ruins. But with one plumage Monday night, Trump revived the militia movement, releasing their leading figures, including Rhodes and Proud boy leader Enrique Tarrio.
“One of the things I care about is the risk that groups that have been diminished after J6 will return stronger, especially since many of them have been changed from their penalties or have been completely forgiven,” says Luke Baumgartner, a research fellow worker at George Washington University. Extremism program. “I wouldn’t be shocked if the Oath Keepers began to make more appearances, and see the proud boys accelerate their cultural warfare tactics, especially against the LGBTQ community, as we had seen before. Their leaders are free, they have a lot to achieve, and they probably feel justified. “
Do you have a tip?
Are you a family member of the January 6, who is released? We would like to hear from you. Using a non -working phone or computer, contact David Gilbert at David.gilbert@wired.com or safely on Signal on Davidgilbert.01
Guy Reffitt was the first riot to go on a legal charge for his actions on January 6 and initially received a penalty of seven years and three months, which was reduced by seven months in December after a Supreme Court verdict that led . against him.
“I am a very strong patriot, with fabulous support from Patriot Warriors, as we sail troubled waters,” Reffitt wrote to one acquaintance from a prison in a text message sent by the prosecution at his December return.