Pamela Hemphill, a 71-year-old former supporter of Donald Trump who earned the nickname “Maga Granny”, has refused the president’s “full, complete and unconditional” pardon for her involvement in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. She told the Guardian on Thursday that accepting it would be “an insult to the Capitol police officers and to the rule of law”.
Hemphill was arrested two days after the riot following a tip to the FBI about Facebook posts in which she wrote “it’s a WAR!” and “On my way to Washington D.C. January 6th!”. She pleaded guilty in January 2022 to a misdemeanour and was sentenced to 60 days in prison and three years of probation. She credits Capitol police with saving her life after being pushed down and trampled.
In 2023, Hemphill says she had a change of heart and left the “Maga cult” after being blamed by other rioters when her video footage was used as evidence against them. She now works as a substance abuse counsellor and compares the Maga ideology to addiction. She supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 election and no longer fears retribution from Trump loyalists.
Along with her attorney, Hemphill plans to file a letter of rejection. The US Supreme Court has upheld since 1833 that a recipient may turn down a presidential pardon, though legal experts note this is rarely tested. “It would be a novel act,” said Mark Osler, a law professor at the University of St Thomas.
Asked if she had a message for Trump, Hemphill said: “Other people around you told you the election had not been stolen… you know it wasn’t. But we’re going to keep bringing the facts to prove you wrong.”
