A man involved in the January 6 Capitol riot, along with two others facing related charges, was recently denied permission to attend the upcoming presidential inauguration. Here’s what happened.
Russell Taylor, a California man tied to Utah, had hoped to attend the inauguration on January 20. Taylor pleaded guilty earlier this year to obstructing an official proceeding, a charge that the Supreme Court later ruled had been wrongly applied to many January 6 cases. Despite this, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, based in Washington, D.C., denied his request. Taylor is currently on probation after storming the Capitol with weapons like a knife, bear spray, and a hatchet.
Interestingly, Taylor had sought help from his Mormon lawmaker friends in Utah, who sent a letter vouching for him. They highlighted his integrity, family values, and past cooperation with federal authorities to convict members of the Three Percenters, an extremist militia group. But the judge wasn’t convinced. He stated that Taylor’s actions during the January 6 riot, including carrying weapons and threatening officers, made it inappropriate for him to attend an event celebrating the peaceful transfer of power.
Judge Lamberth acknowledged Taylor’s cooperation and leniency in his probationary sentence, but he firmly said that Taylor’s good behavior now doesn’t erase the seriousness of what he did on January 6. The judge explained that attending the inauguration is a privilege, not a right, especially for someone who once disrupted such an event with violent intent.
Meanwhile, two other men also had their similar requests denied. Christopher Belliveau from Maine, who is accused of using a hockey stick and a bullhorn during the riot, pleaded not guilty to his charges. He argued that his lack of a violent past should allow him some leniency, but U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly said no. Prosecutors warned that Belliveau’s return to Washington could endanger Capitol Police officers.
Thomas Eugene Tatum, also known as Tommy Tatum, from Mississippi, faced a similar rejection from U.S. District Judge John Bates. Tatum, who is charged with obstructing police officers and using a flagpole as a weapon, claimed he wanted to attend the inauguration as a journalist. He pointed out that he had previously attended court proceedings and congressional hearings without issue. The judge, however, highlighted the violent nature of Tatum’s charges and said allowing him back in Washington posed a risk to community safety.
Prosecutors argued against all three men attending the inauguration, citing safety concerns and the nature of their actions during the January 6 riot. In Taylor’s case, the judge said the letter from Utah lawmakers was considered but ultimately didn’t change the outcome. The court had already taken into account Taylor’s positive traits and cooperation when deciding his sentence.
Taylor’s lawyer, Dyke E. Huish, explained that while Taylor still believes the 2020 election results should have been reviewed further by the states, he acknowledges he went too far on January 6. Huish said Taylor regrets his actions and has taken responsibility for them.
Two other January 6 defendants, William Pope and Cindy Young, are awaiting decisions on similar requests to attend the inauguration. Prosecutors continue to push back, arguing that allowing such defendants to attend could set a dangerous precedent, even as some have been granted permission in recent weeks.