CNN’s Elie Honig Calls January 6 Prison Sentences ‘Severe’ But ‘Reasonable’: DOJ Has Been ‘Undercharging,’ Going Easy on Defendants

CORNISH Joining us now ░░░░░░░░ CNN senior legal analyst ░░░░░░░░ former assistant U S ░░░░░░░░ for the Southern District ░░░░░░░░ New York Elie Honig ░░░░░░░░ there Ellie Good morning ░░░░░░░░ Hey good to see ░░░░░░░░ CORNISH So people are ░░░░░░░░ about 30 years for ░░░░░░░░ based looking at these ░░░░░░░░ sentences but is that ░░░░░░░░ HONIG I think it ░░░░░░░░ unlikely that prosecutors get ░░░░░░░░ years that they re ░░░░░░░░ but I also do ░░░░░░░░ that Enrique Tarrio will ░░░░░░░░ the highest single sentence ░░░░░░░░ down on anyone connected ░░░░░░░░ January 6th so far ░░░░░░░░ top sentence thus far ░░░░░░░░ 18 years Mr Nordean ░░░░░░░░ 18 years And the ░░░░░░░░ of the Oath Keepers ░░░░░░░░ Rhodes got 18 years ░░░░░░░░ prosecutors are being very ░░░░░░░░ with these leaders of ░░░░░░░░ extremist groups So what ░░░░░░░░ happens CORNISH Why What ░░░░░░░░ they say Is it ░░░░░░░░ they believe they did ░░░░░░░░ organization HONIG Yes it ░░░░░░░░ the organizational aspect It ░░░░░░░░ the fact that they ░░░░░░░░ connected working as a ░░░░░░░░ together There was planning ░░░░░░░░ mean what Enrique Tarrio ░░░░░░░░ he s actually the ░░░░░░░░ defendant other than Donald ░░░░░░░░ who s not exactly ░░░░░░░░ for January 6th itself ░░░░░░░░ Tarrio is the only ░░░░░░░░ who was not physically ░░░░░░░░ at the Capitol of ░░░░░░░░ 1 100 plus DoJ ░░░░░░░░ charged so far but ░░░░░░░░ might as well have ░░░░░░░░ He was arrested a ░░░░░░░░ of days before and ░░░░░░░░ essentially engineered the plot ░░░░░░░░ attack the Capitol CORNISH ░░░░░░░░ So it undermines this ░░░░░░░░ that it was just ░░░░░░░░ of a riot that ░░░░░░░░ out of control or ░░░░░░░░ demonstration that got out ░░░░░░░░ control HONIG Exactly And ░░░░░░░░ other aspect with Tarrio ░░░░░░░░ he was a leader ░░░░░░░░ under the Federal Sentencing ░░░░░░░░ if you can prove ░░░░░░░░ was a leader of ░░░░░░░░ activity you can bump ░░░░░░░░ sentence up So I ░░░░░░░░ we re going to ░░░░░░░░ somewhere between 18 and ░░░░░░░░ for him MATTINGLY Are ░░░░░░░░ surprised by the length ░░░░░░░░ the sentences we ve ░░░░░░░░ so far And you ░░░░░░░░ kind of the range ░░░░░░░░ that all dependent on ░░░░░░░░ judge or what kind ░░░░░░░░ what should people expect ░░░░░░░░ HONIG Yes it s ░░░░░░░░ to the judge In ░░░░░░░░ federal system we have ░░░░░░░░ book the Federal Sentencing ░░░░░░░░ which used to be ░░░░░░░░ but about 15 years ░░░░░░░░ it became advisory meaning ░░░░░░░░ have to consult it ░░░░░░░░ they have very wide ░░░░░░░░ CORNISH They re not ░░░░░░░░ to it HONIG Exactly ░░░░░░░░ think the sentences thus ░░░░░░░░ have been reasonable I ░░░░░░░░ the sentences have been ░░░░░░░░ not over the top ░░░░░░░░ when you re talking ░░░░░░░░ people who were charged ░░░░░░░░ and convicted of seditious ░░░░░░░░ not surprising to me ░░░░░░░░ see sentences in the ░░░░░░░░ teens It is worth ░░░░░░░░ though DoJ has taken ░░░░░░░░ from multiple federal judges ░░░░░░░░ undercharging and being too ░░░░░░░░ on some of the ░░░░░░░░ players Not Oath Keepers ░░░░░░░░ Proud Boys but remember ░░░░░░░░ 100 plus defendants a ░░░░░░░░ of them have been ░░░░░░░░ Keepers and Proud Boys ░░░░░░░░ various judges have called ░░░░░░░░ DoJ for being and ░░░░░░░░ quote the judges here ░░░░░░░░ baffling for basically going ░░░░░░░░ light on some of ░░░░░░░░ folks giving them misdemeanor ░░░░░░░░ giving them probation.”