The Department of Justice has brought new charges against several Jan. 6 defendants in the wake of Donald Trump’s election victory, even as the president-elect signals that his DOJ will take a sharp turn away from prosecutions related to the riot when he takes office in less than two months.
The DOJ has continued to project a business-as-usual approach to its yearslong Jan. 6 operation, charging and arresting people at its typical pace. But the newest cases may not get very far in the court process, as Trump has said the prosecutions are “political persecution” and indicated they will grind to a halt the moment he is in the White House.
Since Trump won, the DOJ and FBI have focused on pursuing those accused of felonies, and not merely misdemeanors, according to public activity and media reports.
Federal authorities, for example, arrested two men from Florida on…
