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Rule of Law

4/15/2026

The rule of law is a foundational principle where all people, institutions, and government entities are accountable to publicly known, equally enforced, and independently adjudicated laws. It ensures that no one is above the law, upholding democracy, human rights, and procedural fairness through stable and just legal systems. In other words, there is a due process, which includes being charged of a lawful violation and being judged by a group of your peers.

Key elements of the rule of law often cited by the World Justice Project include:

Accountability: Both government officials and private actors are held accountable under the same laws.
Just Laws: Laws are clear, publicized, stable, and applied evenly to protect fundamental rights, including human rights and property rights.
Open Government: The processes for enacting, administering, and enforcing laws are accessible, fair, and efficient.
Impartial Dispute Resolution: Justice is delivered timely by competent, ethical, and independent judges and representatives.
Equality Under the Law: All persons are treated equally by the legal system, with legal rights protected
Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances: Power is divided among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with an independent judiciary overseeing the others.

I have included this article from USA Today for your reading pleasure.  It is pertinent to my thoughts.

DOJ seeks to throw out convictions against Oath Keepers and Proud Boys

Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY
April 14, 2026Updated April 15, 2026, 12:10 p.m. ET

The Justice Department asked a federal appeals court April 14 to throw out seditious conspiracy convictions given to leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers for their involvement in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

Although President Donald Trump already commented the prison sentences of some leasers of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers in January 2025, the new filing would go a step further.

Prosecutors, in a filing signed by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to vacate the convictions to allow the government to permanently dismiss the indictments against the leaders.

“The government’s motion to vacate in this case is consistent with its practice of moving the Supreme Courtto vacate convictions in cases where the government has decided in its prosecutorial discretion that dismissal of a criminal case is in the interests of justice − motions that the Supreme Court routinely grants,” prosecutors said in court records obtained by USA TODAY.

According to the filing, prosecutors asked to erase the convictions of Oath Keepers members Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson and Jessica Watkins, as well as Proud Boys members Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl and Dominic Pezzola.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Nordean’s attorney, Nicholas Smith, praised the move from the Justice Department.

“We don’t want a precedent that says that any physical confrontation between protesters and law enforcement means a crime akin to treason, such as seditious conspiracy,” Smith said.

Smith did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.

The filing from the Justice Department follows the Trump administration's moves to pardon people involved in the Capitol riot. In one of the first moves of his second term , Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people involved in the riot.

"These are the hostages, approximately 1,500, for a pardon. Full pardon," Trump said in the Oval Office at the time , "This is a big one. We hope they come out tonight.”

Trump's proclamation provided a "full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol" on Jan. 6.

Just so everyone is aware, the Department of Justice is part of the Executive Branch of the government.  The Executive Branch is led by the President, Donald J. Trump.  It was the President who decided to pardon those involved in the siege of the Capitol Building on January 6th, 2021.  As it was told by Trump Years later, he described the day as a "day of love" and argued that the protesters were peaceful, often stating, "These were peaceful people, these were great people".

Anyone watching news coverage of the attack on the Capitol may have a different opinion.

And, over 1500 people were convicted of sedition and seditious conspiracy.  As an afterthought, I am curious as to why treason wasn’t included in the charges of many.  I thought anytime one attacked or attempted to overthrow the government, that would be treason.

Please re-read the six elements of “rule of law”.  Pay close attention to the sixth element…

Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances: Power is divided among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with an independent judiciary overseeing the others.

I may be a bit naïve, but when a loyalist like Pirro, presumably acting on Trump’s wishes, files a motion that contradicts the “rule of law”, something is amiss. As a former President once said, “You can’t question a man’s judgement, but you can question his motivation”.

The statement from the attorney of Ethan Nordean of the Proud Boys, encapsulates the fact, the Executive Branch has no respect for the rule of law. Nordean and other people were subject to due process and found guilty by a jury of their peers. It would appear the judicial motion to vacate these convictions as an attempt to consolidate power in one specific branch of the government. In other words, the Executive Branch knows best, and to hell with due process and the rule of law.

I have my opinion, maybe you have one as well.

One Man's Opinion

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