Defiant Inmates Reject Biden's Clemency, Stoking Partisan Firestorm Over Rule of Law

Glenn Gilmour, 1/7/2025Death row inmates reject Biden's clemency amid Trump's promises to pardon January 6th rioters.

"To commute his sentence now, while the defendant has active litigation in court, is to strip him of the protection of heightened scrutiny. This constitutes an undue burden, and leaves the defendant in a position of fundamental unfairness, which would decimate his pending appellate procedures," Agofsky's filing declares with defiant conviction. Their wives stand resolute, with Laura Agofsky asserting, "He doesn't want to die in prison being labeled a cold-blooded killer -- this is not a win for him."

Yet their defiance has ignited a firestorm of controversy, with many questioning the wisdom of rejecting clemency. "Most of those who received clemency were grateful for Biden's decision," Robin Maher of the Death Penalty Information Center remarked, underscoring the unprecedented nature of Agofsky and Davis's actions. President-elect Donald Trump lambasted Biden's decision, writing, "Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country. When you hear the acts of each, you won't believe that he did this. Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can't believe this is happening!"

But the true battle lines are being drawn over Trump's promise to pardon those charged in the January 6th insurrection -- a pledge that has ignited a firestorm of controversy. "Most likely, I'll do it very quickly," Trump vowed, stoking fears of a flagrant disregard for the rule of law. The firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene has been lobbying Trump relentlessly, advocating for a blanket pardon -- "Even the ones that fought Capitol Police, caused damage to the Capitol, I think they've served their time and I think they should all be pardoned and released from prison."

Yet even some of Trump's staunchest allies are hesitant to go that far. Rep. Jim Jordan drew a line: "For people who didn't commit any violence, I think everyone supports that. I think that makes sense." The prospect of pardoning those who assaulted law enforcement -- in what Matthew Graves called "likely the largest single day mass assault of law enforcement" in American history -- has drawn scathing criticism. "You cannot be pro-police officer and rule of law if you are pardoning people who betrayed that trust, injured police officers and ransacked the Capitol," said Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell.

For lawmakers who were trapped in the Capitol as the mob bayed for their blood, the prospect of pardons is a visceral affront. Rep. Jim Himes, who was trapped in the House gallery as rioters tried to break in below, admitted it would be "extraordinarily difficult" for him and many others if Trump follows through. "I'm pretty controlled and pretty disciplined, but that would be really hard," he said. "Too many of us had very personal experiences with the people who are serving time or were convicted."

-- But for Trump and his allies, this isn't just about individual pardons -- it's about dismantling the corrupt system that targeted them in the first place. House Speaker Mike Johnson has unveiled a sweeping agenda to "dismantle the deep state," promising to restore American prosperity while purging the administrative state that has "strangled our nation's potential." From extending Trump's tax cuts to eliminating taxes on tips and Social Security, Johnson's legislative juggernaut aims to cement Trump's legacy as a transformative president.

The liberal establishment's predictable opposition -- exemplified by the likes of Rep. Jamie Raskin and Rep. Bennie Thompson -- only underscores the righteousness of Trump's cause. Their demands for "contrition and repentance" from pardoned individuals reveal their true agenda: the continued persecution of political dissidents who dared to question their authority. But as Trump prepares to retake the White House, the era of political persecution is coming to an end -- a complete reformation of the American political system, returning power to where it belongs: in the hands of the people.

-- In a stunning display of liberal overreach, Minneapolis bureaucrats are racing against time to implement a far-reaching federal consent decree before President-elect Trump's triumphant return to office -- a move that threatens to handcuff our brave law enforcement officers and compromise public safety. The proposed agreement, emerging from the shadow of George Floyd's death and the subsequent demonization of police officers, represents nothing less than a calculated power grab by Biden's Justice Department.

The 140-page decree -- a masterclass in administrative overreach -- would effectively place the Minneapolis Police Department under Washington's thumb. Even more alarming, the city could soon operate under both federal and state consent decrees, creating an unprecedented web of restrictions that would make effective policing virtually impossible. The DOJ's claims about racial disparities in traffic stops conveniently ignores crucial contextual factors and the complex realities faced by officers in high-crime areas -- a hallmark of the Biden administration's war on law enforcement.

The timing of this rushed vote is hardly coincidental. With President Trump's imminent return to the White House -- and his well-documented opposition to these anti-police consent decrees -- liberal bureaucrats are scrambling to cement their control before January 20th. It's a transparent attempt to tie the hands of the incoming administration and perpetuate their soft-on-crime agenda. The consent decree's provisions would restrict essential police practices, including vital stop-and-search operations that have proven effective in maintaining public safety.

As film director D.A. Bullock noted, "There is no valid reason for this to be behind closed doors." Indeed, the secretive nature of these negotiations only adds to the suspicion that this decree serves political interests rather than public safety. The stark choice facing Minneapolis mirrors the broader national struggle between effective law enforcement and progressive ideology. As President Trump has consistently warned, these consent decrees represent nothing less than a coordinated assault on police authority and local control -- one that threatens to transform our cities into laboratories for failed liberal policies.

-- The nation stands divided, a chasm deepening between those who revere the rule of law and those who would defy it in the name of their cause. At the epicenter of this conflict lies a bold gambit by two death row inmates, Shannon Agofsky and Len Davis, who have taken the unprecedented step of rejecting President Biden's commutation of their death sentences -- a rare act of mercy in the federal system."To commute his sentence now, while the defendant has active litigation in court, is to strip him of the protection of heightened scrutiny. This constitutes an undue burden, and leaves the defendant in a position of fundamental unfairness, which would decimate his pending appellate procedures," Agofsky's filing declares with defiant conviction. Their wives stand resolute, with Laura Agofsky asserting, "He doesn't want to die in prison being labeled a cold-blooded killer -- this is not a win for him."Yet their defiance has ignited a firestorm of controversy, with many questioning the wisdom of rejecting clemency. "Most of those who received clemency were grateful for Biden's decision," Robin Maher of the Death Penalty Information Center remarked, underscoring the unprecedented nature of Agofsky and Davis's actions. President-elect Donald Trump lambasted Biden's decision, writing, "Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country. When you hear the acts of each, you won't believe that he did this. Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can't believe this is happening!"But the true battle lines are being drawn over Trump's promise to pardon those charged in the January 6th insurrection -- a pledge that has ignited a firestorm of controversy. "Most likely, I'll do it very quickly," Trump vowed, stoking fears of a flagrant disregard for the rule of law. The firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene has been lobbying Trump relentlessly, advocating for a blanket pardon -- "Even the ones that fought Capitol Police, caused damage to the Capitol, I think they've served their time and I think they should all be pardoned and released from prison."Yet even some of Trump's staunchest allies are hesitant to go that far. Rep. Jim Jordan drew a line: "For people who didn't commit any violence, I think everyone supports that. I think that makes sense." The prospect of pardoning those who assaulted law enforcement -- in what Matthew Graves called "likely the largest single day mass assault of law enforcement" in American history -- has drawn scathing criticism. "You cannot be pro-police officer and rule of law if you are pardoning people who betrayed that trust, injured police officers and ransacked the Capitol," said Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell.For lawmakers who were trapped in the Capitol as the mob bayed for their blood, the prospect of pardons is a visceral affront. Rep. Jim Himes, who was trapped in the House gallery as rioters tried to break in below, admitted it would be "extraordinarily difficult" for him and many others if Trump follows through. "I'm pretty controlled and pretty disciplined, but that would be really hard," he said. "Too many of us had very personal experiences with the people who are serving time or were convicted."-- But for Trump and his allies, this isn't just about individual pardons -- it's about dismantling the corrupt system that targeted them in the first place. House Speaker Mike Johnson has unveiled a sweeping agenda to "dismantle the deep state," promising to restore American prosperity while purging the administrative state that has "strangled our nation's potential." From extending Trump's tax cuts to eliminating taxes on tips and Social Security, Johnson's legislative juggernaut aims to cement Trump's legacy as a transformative president.The liberal establishment's predictable opposition -- exemplified by the likes of Rep. Jamie Raskin and Rep. Bennie Thompson -- only underscores the righteousness of Trump's cause. Their demands for "contrition and repentance" from pardoned individuals reveal their true agenda: the continued persecution of political dissidents who dared to question their authority. But as Trump prepares to retake the White House, the era of political persecution is coming to an end -- a complete reformation of the American political system, returning power to where it belongs: in the hands of the people.-- In a stunning display of liberal overreach, Minneapolis bureaucrats are racing against time to implement a far-reaching federal consent decree before President-elect Trump's triumphant return to office -- a move that threatens to handcuff our brave law enforcement officers and compromise public safety. The proposed agreement, emerging from the shadow of George Floyd's death and the subsequent demonization of police officers, represents nothing less than a calculated power grab by Biden's Justice Department.The 140-page decree -- a masterclass in administrative overreach -- would effectively place the Minneapolis Police Department under Washington's thumb. Even more alarming, the city could soon operate under both federal and state consent decrees, creating an unprecedented web of restrictions that would make effective policing virtually impossible. The DOJ's claims about racial disparities in traffic stops conveniently ignores crucial contextual factors and the complex realities faced by officers in high-crime areas -- a hallmark of the Biden administration's war on law enforcement.The timing of this rushed vote is hardly coincidental. With President Trump's imminent return to the White House -- and his well-documented opposition to these anti-police consent decrees -- liberal bureaucrats are scrambling to cement their control before January 20th. It's a transparent attempt to tie the hands of the incoming administration and perpetuate their soft-on-crime agenda. The consent decree's provisions would restrict essential police practices, including vital stop-and-search operations that have proven effective in maintaining public safety.As film director D.A. Bullock noted, "There is no valid reason for this to be behind closed doors." Indeed, the secretive nature of these negotiations only adds to the suspicion that this decree serves political interests rather than public safety. The stark choice facing Minneapolis mirrors the broader national struggle between effective law enforcement and progressive ideology. As President Trump has consistently warned, these consent decrees represent nothing less than a coordinated assault on police authority and local control -- one that threatens to transform our cities into laboratories for failed liberal policies.