| ANNAPOLIS, MD: Senate Bill 962, sponsored by Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D/17)– and cosponsored by every Democratic Senator– would create consequences for those involved in the violent, seditious insurrection on January 6, 2021. It makes clear that no one convicted of a crime related to that attack, even if pardoned by the President, could be appointed to any of our 600 boards and commissions, any task force, or any workgroup. According to Kagan, “Those who were convicted of attacking the preeminent symbol of American democracy do not deserve the honor of a gubernatorial appointment.”
One of the most horrifying days in recent American history was January 6, 2021. On that day, thousands of people came to DC to rally on the Ellipse. This peaceful and legal gathering, protected by the First Amendment’s guarantee of Free Speech and Freedom to Assemble, degenerated into an attack on our U.S. Capitol by an angry mob. Members of Congress and their staffs feared for their lives as insurrectionists brutally attacked law enforcement officers with flagpoles, stun guns, bear spray, and stolen police shields. Five officers died as a result of physical or mental injuries from that sickening day.
Over the months and years that followed, hundreds were arrested and prosecuted. Ultimately, roughly 250 were convicted. Crimes ranged from assault and weapons offenses to seditious conspiracy and trespassing. On the day he was inaugurated in 2025, Donald Trump issued a blanket pardon. But the record of their convictions still stands, and the business of accountability is unfinished.
Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, who struggles every day with physical and emotional trauma, observed, “Those who fiercely beat me and my fellow officers have mostly gotten off scot-free. This is a modest but important message: we will not forget what you did that day.”
Harry Dunn, another January 6 hero who also shared his story at the Congressional Oversight Committee hearings, said, “These convicted insurrectionists don’t deserve to be appointed to positions of trust and prestige. As a proud Marylander, I am grateful to Senator Kagan and her Senate colleagues who have sponsored SB962.”
This bill draws a bright line of accountability, ensuring that individuals who participated in an attack on our democracy are not placed in roles that shape public policy or advise state leaders. It affirms the prestige and honor of service in public roles.
Legislators in Connecticut, New York, and Virginia have proposed similar restrictions. By advancing this bill, Maryland would have the opportunity to state clearly that those who participated in the attack on our Constitutional government will not be entrusted with influence. SB962 sends an unmistakable message that efforts to overturn lawful authority will not be tolerated– much less rewarded– in Maryland. |
(410) 841-3134
Cheryl.Kagan@senate.state.md.us