## Capitol Intruder Granted Permission to Attend Trump’s Inauguration
A Kansas City, Missouri man, Eric Lee Peterson, who pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, has been granted permission by a federal judge to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who previously oversaw Trump’s election subversion case, approved Peterson’s request on Thursday, also modifying his existing travel restrictions.
Peterson’s attorney, Michael Bullotta, argued in a motion filed Tuesday that his client’s brief presence within the Capitol – approximately eight minutes – and lack of prior criminal record warranted the exception. Crucially, Bullotta cited the incoming Trump administration’s confirmed intention to pardon January 6th defendants, including Peterson, on Trump’s first day in office, January 20, 2025. This, he argued, would render Peterson’s scheduled sentencing hearing moot.
Trump’s campaign trail promises to pardon January 6th defendants, whom he frequently referred to as “patriots,” “warriors,” and “hostages,” were reiterated in a December 8th interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” While confirming his intention to issue pardons swiftly, Trump suggested possible exceptions for individuals deemed “radical” or “crazy.” During the same interview, he threatened imprisonment for former Representative Liz Cheney and Representative Bennie Thompson, who led the congressional investigation into the January 6th attack.
Peterson’s plea agreement includes a guilty plea to knowingly and unlawfully entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, a charge carrying a potential sentence of up to one year in prison and a fine. He agreed to pay $500 in restitution towards the estimated $2.8 million in damages to the Capitol and provide authorities with access to his social media communications from around the time of the riot.
Surveillance footage and publicly available videos placed Peterson at the Capitol during the riot. The statement of offense, signed by Peterson on October 29, details his presence among rioters outside the locked Rotunda doors as the building alarm sounded, his entry into the building at 3:03 p.m. Eastern Time (passing a police officer), his taking of photographs inside the Rotunda, and his departure at 3:11 p.m., remaining briefly on the restricted Upper West Terrace afterward. Initially facing four charges, including disorderly conduct, Peterson ultimately pleaded guilty to a single charge.
The January 6th attack resulted in approximately 1,572 people facing federal charges. The riot temporarily halted the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory, forcing lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence to evacuate. The incident involved assaults on roughly 140 police officers and vandalism throughout the Capitol building. Peterson is one of 996 defendants who have pleaded guilty to related charges.
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