Federal judge allows January 6 defendant to attend Trump’s inauguration
By Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, CNN
(CNN) — A Missouri man who pleaded guilty to entering the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, will be allowed to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration next month, a federal judge ordered Thursday.
Judge Tanya Chutkan, who oversaw the federal election subversion case against Trump, also authorized Eric Peterson, who pleaded guilty this fall to “entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds” during the riot, to travel more broadly within the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Peterson is slated to be sentenced on January 27, a week after Trump takes the oath of office on the Capitol grounds. In addition to whatever sentence he receives, Peterson must also pay $500 in restitution to the Architect of the Capitol, according to his plea agreement.
According to the statement of offense, Peterson, wearing a bright pink shirt, entered the Capitol at approximately 3:02 p.m. on January 6, took pictures in the Rotunda and left the building by 3:11 p.m.
Peterson’s attorney, Michael Bullotta, highlighted the short length of time in a filing earlier this week, adding that his client “was not alleged to have done anything related to assault or vandalism” and that Peterson’s offense “was entering and remaining in the Capitol for about 8 minutes without proper authorization.” The attorney also noted that Peterson is a military veteran without prior criminal history.
Bullota, argued that Peterson’s request to travel to Washington, DC, was “even more appropriate in light of the incoming Trump administration’s confirmations that President Trump will fully pardon those in Mr. Peterson’s position on his first day in office.”
“Thus, his scheduled sentencing hearing before this Court on January 27, 2025 will likely be rendered moot,” he added.
Bullota did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNN late Thursday evening.
While Trump has promised to pardon US Capitol rioters, it is not yet clear who among the hundreds of convicted rioters, defendants awaiting trial and remaining fugitives will receive clemency.
More than 1,500 Capitol rioters have been charged in federal court for their actions, with all but about 300 having been convicted or admitting their guilt almost four years after the Capitol attack. About half of the guilty rioters, 645, have been sentenced to jail time, according to the Justice Department, though many have completed serving their sentences.
CNN’s Katelyn Polantz, Paula Reid and Hannah Rabinowitz contributed to this report.
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