Pamela Hemphill, 71, nicknamed “MAGA Granny,” has refused a pardon granted by Donald Trump for her involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol Hill assault. Convicted of a misdemeanor, Hemphill, who has already served time, said accepting the pardon would be “rewriting history” and disrespecting law enforcement. She formally rejected clemency, stating, “We made a mistake that day. We broke the law. We were guilty.”
The event sparked a full-fledged court case. To obtain a legally valid formal recognition of denial of clemency, Hemphill sought help from Republican Senator Jim Risch. The Justice Department confirmed through a letter that Hemphill’s non-acceptance of forgiveness is known, but clarified that it will not issue any official certificate for this refusal. Liz Oyer, a former pardon attorney, confirmed that the woman represents a unique exception among those pardoned on Jan. 6.
Hemphill, had been sentenced in 2022 to three years of probation. She was not charged with physically assaulting police or causing property damage, but prosecutors say she was on the front lines against law enforcement and encouraged others to participate in the assault. She later called the event “a WAR!” in posts on social media.
While many other Jan. 6 defendants have enthusiastically welcomed the pardons–seeking copies to frame or use as a legal tool–Hemphill is the only one, so far, to publicly reject them.
She has argued heatedly with other defendants on social media and podcasts, opposing the minimizing reinterpretation of the assault and expressing a deep moral conflict with herself.
But Hemphill, predicts a negative reaction from Trump to her act: “Trump will probably accuse me of being ungrateful and try to get me back on probation.”
Other defendants have used pardon certificates to reduce sentences, avoid restitution or gain legal benefits, while Hemphill sees the pardon as a political attempt to rewrite history and intends to stay true to the facts and her personal conscience.
