December 09, 2024 02:05 PM UTC

Jeffco GOP Men's Club Honors Violent January 6th Rioter

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• by: Colorado Pols

This morning at an IHOP in Lakewood, the Jefferson County Republican Men’s Club hosted as their featured guest an individual named Thomas Hamner of Colorado Springs, there to tell his story about participating in the January 6th, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to impede the certification of Joe Biden’s victory by Congress. Here’s how the party introduced Mr. Hamner:

Thomas Hamner was sentenced September 23, 2022 to 30 months in prison for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. According to court documents: “At approximately 1:14 p.m., Hamner engaged with a tug-of-war with a Capitol Police officer and an officer from the Metropolitan Police Department over a bike rack that was being used as a barricade….Additionally, at approximately 1:40 p.m., Hamner joined others in the mob in pushing a large metal sign into the defensive line formed by law enforcement officers.”

Many of us see the majority of those arrested and tried for their actions on January 6th as political prisoners because the sentences are disproportionate to the severity of the crime. Come hear from one of the participants on that historic day. Get the view from ground level and hear what you can still do the help right that wrong…

Evaluating the rioters who took part in the January 6th insurrection, they generally break down into three categories: individuals present but who did not attack police officers or enter the Capitol unlawfully, individuals who entered the building but did not attack cops or damage property, and those who actually assaulted Capitol police officers both inside and outside the building. Thomas Hamner falls into the latter category, meaning those who should inspire the least amount of sympathy. Hamner’s 30-month sentence after pleading guilty to interfering with law enforcement during a civil disorder is far from the longest sentence imposed against January 6th convicts. Despite this, Hamner has spent much of his time since his release on a “sympathy tour” that included an event with Rep. Scott “There Is No” Bottoms in March of this year.

President-elect Donald Trump’s promises to pardon January 6th convicts have become less qualified since his victory, but at one point the plan was to at least make some distinction between those who committed violence and property damage at the Capitol and those who didn’t. We’ll be watching Mr. Hamner’s case as a barometer of just what amount of violence Trump is willing to forgive among his supporters.

Normalizing what happened on January 6th is what a small majority of Americans voted for, folks. Turning violence into heroism is what that means.