A government watchdog has accused the Department of Justice (DOJ) of unlawfully deleting its database of Jan. 6 defendants.
This unexpected move, which followed former President Donald Trump’s sweeping promises of pardons for those convicted in connection with the Capitol riot, has raised legal concerns and ignited a fierce debate about transparency and accountability.
DOJ Erases Public Database Without Explanation
For years, the DOJ maintained a comprehensive, publicly accessible record of individuals charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
This database detailed criminal charges, case statuses, and convictions, serving as a crucial tool for journalists, researchers, and the public seeking insight into the prosecutions.
However, in a stunning move, the entire database vanished without warning. The sudden disappearance follows Trump’s public commitment to “freeing” Jan. 6 defendants if he returns to office, raising speculation about whether political pressure played a role in the erasure.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a leading government watchdog, quickly raised the alarm, accusing the DOJ of trying to erase history.
The department has yet to provide a clear reason for the removal, further fueling speculation about its motives.
Did the DOJ Violate Federal Law?
CREW argues that the DOJ may have broken federal record-keeping laws, specifically 44 U.S.C. § 3106, which prohibits the unauthorized destruction of government records.
According to this law, agencies must obtain approval from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) before deleting official documents.
NARA acknowledged the situation, stating that removing online records is not necessarily illegal if the information is preserved elsewhere.
However, critics—including CREW—insist that the DOJ failed to follow proper procedures, raising questions about whether this was a bureaucratic oversight or a deliberate effort to obscure key details related to Trump’s allies and supporters.
Public Outrage and Political Reactions
The database’s sudden disappearance has triggered a firestorm of controversy.
Critics accuse the DOJ of attempting to bury details of the Jan. 6 prosecutions, while Trump’s supporters argue that the removal is a necessary step to prevent political persecution.
Federal Judge Paul Friedman took an extraordinary step in response—he compiled a 138-page list of Capitol riot defendants to ensure that their case details remain accessible.
His independent action signals deep concerns within the legal community about the erasure of these records.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to champion the Jan. 6 defendants as political prisoners.
He has pledged mass pardons if re-elected, stating that “they’ve been treated unfairly” and vowing to “expunge their records”—a promise that now seems eerily connected to the DOJ’s sudden database deletion.
What Comes Next?
CREW has demanded a full investigation into the DOJ’s actions, calling for transparency regarding who authorized the deletion and why.
If the department is found to have violated record-keeping laws, legal consequences could follow.
Meanwhile, the broader debate continues—was this merely a bureaucratic mistake, or a politically motivated attempt to rewrite history ahead of Trump’s potential return to office?
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