Reagan-appointed judge warns GOP's 'preposterous' claims about Jan. 6 could pose threat

WASHINGTON — A Republican-appointed federal judge who has served on the bench for 37 years slammed prominent politicians for their "preposterous" claims about how the courts have handled Jan. 6 cases and attempts to "rewrite history" about the U.S. Capitol attack, saying such rhetoric could foreshadow future far-right violence.

Senior U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, appointed to the bench by former President Ronald Reagan in 1987, said during a resentencing hearing on Thursday that he is "shocked" at how prominent political figures have talked about the convicted criminals who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, calling the politicians' remarks "preposterous" and warning that such rhetoric "could presage further danger to our country."

While Lamberth did not refer to the politicians by name, he used quotes that came from Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga. (who said rioters behaved "in an orderly fashion" like tourists), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. (who called Jan. 6 inmates "political prisoners"), and Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., (who, echoing former President Donald Trump, called Jan. 6 criminals "hostages"). In 2022, the Republican National Committee passed a resolution referring to the events of Jan. 6 as "legitimate political discourse."

"The Court is accustomed to defendants who refuse to accept that they did anything wrong. But in my thirty-seven years on the bench, I cannot recall a time when such meritless justifications of criminal activity have gone mainstream," Lamberth said, according to his prepared remarks.

"I have been dismayed to see distortions and outright falsehoods seep into the public consciousness,” Lamberth continued before issuing a stark warning: "The Court fears that such destructive, misguided