It Happened

It's almost like he was trying to say it didn't happen.  And it happened.  I did those things, and they weren't pardonable.  I don't want the pardon.  And I also learned that I can reject the pardon.  And I did reject the pardon because I'm thinking down the road [if] an employer looks in my background, they see misdemeanors --  Misdemeanors with a presidential pardon -- I think that tends to draw more attention.  And I'm sure that's fine in the MAGA world with whoever supports Trump, but I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering if the job I'm applying to, if they like Trump.

I'm a recovering alcoholic.  And I also had some other mental health problems.  That's a bad mix, it's a vicious cycle.  I got rid of drinking, and now I have no problem.  I'm able to handle my mental health problems, but I still just can't help but think of all the the suicides amongst the Capitol Police officers since the riot.  I can empathize.  I just can't imagine -- it's got to be real hard for anyone working in that department with him coming back into office and now pardoning 1,500 people who assaulted their brothers and sisters on that day.  And I think about them.

-- Jason Riddle, who served time in jail for his participation in the 2021 riot, in an inteview with Rick Ganley on New Hampshire Public Radio, "Keene man arrested for storming the Capitol on Jan. 6 rejects Trump's pardon" (24 January 2025)