A federal judge rejected a J6 defendant’s request to attend President Trump’s inauguration after receiving an invitation from a former member of Congress.
The defendant, Russell Taylor, is on probation and is “required to secure permission from a probation officer or the Court before leaving the Central District of California.”
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said in the order that “the decision to grant or withhold permission to travel is within the Court’s discretion, and this Court finds that the particular nature and severity of Mr. Taylor’s conduct at the Capitol Riots counsel against giving him the permission to travel that he now seeks.”
“Mr. Taylor commendably took responsibility for his actions and furnished extensive assistance to the Government. For this, he earned a probationary sentence— which, as also discussed above, is drastically more lenient than the sentences each of his codefendants received—and the right to ask this Court for permission to travel,” the order stated.
“But Mr. Taylor’s cooperation and good conduct while on probation do not diminish the seriousness of his acts on January 6, 2021, to which he has voluntary admitted, nor do they entitle him to the permission he now seeks. To attend the Presidential Inauguration, which celebrates and honors the peaceful transfer of power, is an immense privilege,” it continued.
“It would not be appropriate for the Court to grant permission to attend such a hallowed event to someone who carried weapons and threatened police officers in an attempt to thwart the last Inauguration, and who openly glorified ‘insurrection’ against the United States,” it added.
Per NBC News:
When reached for comment, Taylor’s attorney Dyke E. Huish said that Taylor was “disappointed” but has the “utmost respect” for the judge and his decisions.
Lamberth “has continued to treat my client with respect and given him fair consideration,” Huish said in a statement. “While this ruling is disappointing, as my client is a huge supporter of president elect Trump, he does understand the court denial of his request.”
Huish added that Taylor will watch the inauguration on television at home, noting that they do not have plans to appeal the judge’s decision.
A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office for D.C. referred to prosecutors’ previous filings. The office filed a motion in December opposing Taylor’s request to travel to D.C., urging the court to “not look past his criminal conduct the last time he was on Capitol grounds.”
Former Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, wrote in a December letter to the judge that he and three current members of the Utah congressional delegation were inviting Taylor to the inauguration, though Stewart did not specify which representatives were extending the invitation.
Just the News reports:
https://wltreport.com/2025/01/06/federal-judge-rejects-j6-defendants-request-attend-trump/Taylor, who pleaded guilty to his crimes and cooperated with prosecutors in another case, was sentenced to three years of probation and praised as a model defendant, per the outlet. Under the rules of his probation, Taylor needed special permission to travel to Washington, D.C.
“Mr. Taylor’s motion presents only the narrow question of whether a person who conspired and acted to thwart the peaceful transfer of power four years ago with incitement, threats, and weapons should now be granted special permission to attend the celebration of the peaceful transfer of power,” Lamberth wrote. “The answer to that question is ‘no.’”
Taylor was invited to the inauguration by former Utah Rep. Chris Stewart and three current Utah representatives.
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