Pardoned January 6 Defendant Charged Over Facebook Post Threatening Judges

Eighty-three percent of Americans opposed the clemency package that freed the defendant now facing new federal charges. That figure comes from a Washington Post and Ipsos poll released nearly a month after President Donald Trump signed executive orders pardoning more than 1,500 people convicted of offenses related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

Cleveland Meredith, a resident of Georgia, was among those released. He originally pleaded guilty to charges stemming from his actions on the night of the attack. According to an FBI affidavit, Meredith drove from Georgia into Washington, D.C., while carrying a pistol, a rifle, and approximately 2,500 rounds of ammunition. He also had 10 large capacity feeding devices. During that trip, he texted a relative in Georgia stating his intent to put a bullet in the head of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The new allegations arise from a Facebook post written in April. In the message, Meredith wrote, “ALL J6 Federal JUDGES will be EXECUTED!” Law enforcement officials confirmed the social media account was linked to his personal phone number and email address. Investigators traced his internet access data to his home in Georgia to connect the digital post to the defendant.

Meredith is not the only pardoned individual to face fresh legal trouble. A June analysis by Lawfare identified at least 97 people who were arrested or charged with other crimes since the Capitol incident. That count includes at least 14 cases involving sex crime-related charges.

The pardon decision itself drew immediate political debate. Before the clemency orders were signed, Vice President JD Vance said in an interview that individuals who committed violence should not be eligible for such relief. The poll data reflects public sentiment on the move, with only 14 percent of respondents supporting the decision. Another 55 percent opposed pardons for those convicted of nonviolent crimes.

The federal government is now proceeding with the case based on the FBI’s verification of Meredith’s digital footprint. The case is expected to move through the federal court system in the coming months.