Trump-Appointed Judge Shields Proud Boys Leaders from Accountability, Dismisses Seditious Conspiracy Convictions
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In a disturbing move, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, appointed by Donald Trump, has dismissed the seditious conspiracy convictions of three Proud Boys leaders, bowing to political pressure and undermining justice for the January 6 insurrection.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, has once again demonstrated the dangerous influence of partisan politics on the judiciary by granting the Justice Department's motion to dismiss the seditious conspiracy convictions of Proud Boys leaders Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Zachary Rehl. These men, who were found guilty by a jury of multiple offenses tied to the violent January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, had received lengthy prison sentences in 2023 for their roles in attempting to overturn a democratic election.
Despite the clear evidence and jury convictions, Kelly's seven-page memorandum acknowledged the verdicts but pointed to an appellate court's decision to vacate them. He cynically noted that denying the dismissal would not restore the overturned judgments, and openly admitted that the request to dismiss was “clearly based not on facts or the law, but on President Trump’s desire to excuse the violence of his supporters.”
"There is little mystery about why the Government is moving to dismiss this case, or whether dismissal is in fact what the Executive seeks," Kelly wrote, exposing the blatant politicization of justice.
Kelly referenced the broader context of the Capitol assault, describing it as an attack on police, Congress, and the constitutional process of peaceful power transfer. Yet, his decision ultimately enables those who sought to undermine democracy. He concluded that preserving the nation's democratic framework will require cooperation across partisan lines, a statement that rings hollow in the face of such judicial capitulation.
This decision comes after a May appellate ruling sent the case back to Kelly following the Justice Department's efforts to overturn the convictions. The three men technically remain convicted, but their sentences were later commuted by President Trump in 2025 as part of a sweeping and controversial clemency initiative that further eroded accountability for right-wing extremists.