A judge rejected a request from a Jan. 6 defendant, Russell Taylor, to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration after Taylor was invited by a former member of Congress. The defendant was accused of organizing a group of “fighters” to travel to D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021. Taylor pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding in 2023 and cooperated with the government by providing testimony against the Three Percenters militia. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth denied Taylor’s request to attend the inauguration, citing Taylor’s conduct during the Capitol Riots and stating that allowing him to attend such a hallowed event would not be appropriate given his actions.
Taylor’s attorney Dyke E. Huish expressed disappointment at the judge’s decision but stated that Taylor has the utmost respect for the court and understands the denial of his request. Taylor will watch the inauguration on television at home and has no plans to appeal the decision. The U.S. attorney’s office for D.C. referred to prosecutors’ previous filings, which opposed Taylor’s request to travel to D.C. in December. Former Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, wrote a letter in support of Taylor attending the inauguration, praising Taylor’s character and intentions. Huish had filed a request for Taylor to travel to Washington for the inauguration in December, noting that Taylor had demonstrated trustworthiness in his previous travels.
In his Friday order, Judge Lamberth highlighted that Taylor had taken responsibility for his actions and cooperated with the government, leading to a lighter sentence compared to other Jan. 6 defendants. However, Lamberth emphasized that Taylor’s cooperation and good conduct while on probation did not diminish the seriousness of his acts on January 6, 2021, and therefore did not entitle him to attend the inauguration. Other Jan. 6 defendants, including Christopher Belliveau and William Pope, have also requested permission to travel to the inauguration. Belliveau’s request was denied, while Eric Peterson’s request was granted, and Pope is awaiting a decision on his request according to court records.
Taylor’s request to attend the inauguration was denied by Judge Lamberth, who cited the severity of Taylor’s conduct during the Capitol Riots as a reason for the decision. Despite expressing disappointment, Taylor’s attorney acknowledged the judge’s ruling and stated that Taylor will watch the inauguration on TV at home. Former Rep. Chris Stewart had written a letter supporting Taylor’s attendance at the inauguration, praising Taylor’s character and intentions. The U.S. attorney’s office for D.C. opposed Taylor’s request to travel to D.C., emphasizing his criminal conduct during the Capitol Riots.
In his order, Judge Lamberth noted that while Taylor had cooperated with the government and shown good conduct on probation, his actions on January 6, 2021, were serious and warranted denial of his request to attend the inauguration. Other Jan. 6 defendants, including Belliveau and Pope, have also sought permission to travel to the inauguration. Belliveau’s request was denied, while Peterson’s request was granted, and Pope is still awaiting a decision. The denial of Taylor’s request to attend the inauguration underscores the consequences of his actions during the Capitol Riots and reinforces the seriousness of such behavior.
