A 71-year-old grandmother from Idaho, who once supported Donald Trump and attended the January 6 Capitol riots, has now completely turned against him. Pamela Hemphill, a retired substance abuse counselor, was a big Trump supporter in 2016 and 2020. She even attended the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., which led to the infamous storming of the Capitol.
Photos released by the FBI showed Hemphill inside the Capitol during the chaos. For her actions that day, she admitted guilt to a misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating, or picketing in the Capitol building. As a result, she served two months in a California jail.
Now, Hemphill is no longer a fan of Trump. In fact, she has described the MAGA movement as a “cult” and even compared the former president to Jeffrey Epstein. Hemphill has said she would refuse a pardon from Trump, who has promised to pardon many of the January 6 rioters if he becomes president again.
On social media, she boldly wrote, “I will refuse a pardon from felon Trump!” She also shared that she has faced bullying from MAGA supporters, some of whom have even tried to report her to her probation officer. But Hemphill remains unfazed, saying, “They just give me more confidence to continue!”
The grandmother revealed that she now supports Vice President Kamala Harris and plans to vote for her in the 2024 election. Trump’s recent victory hasn’t changed her mind, and she continues to speak out against him. In a CNN interview, she explained her shift in perspective, saying she started recognizing what she called Trump’s “narcissistic behavior” and “gaslighting.”
During the riot, Hemphill was seen encouraging others to enter the Capitol, yelling, “Come on in, come on, have fun… This is your house!” However, after her conviction, she apologized for her actions, saying she was guilty and accepted responsibility for what she did.
This isn’t the first time Hemphill has spoken out against Trump. In 2023, after Trump mentioned her case while criticizing the justice system, she clapped back, saying, “Please Donald Trump, don’t be using me for anything. I’m not a victim of January 6. I pleaded guilty because I was guilty!”
Trump, on the other hand, has promised to pardon many of the people charged in connection with the Capitol attack. He recently stated that he would act “very quickly” to grant clemency to non-violent offenders. However, he also mentioned he would review cases individually, saying, “If somebody was radical, crazy, there may be exceptions.”
The January 6 riot, which disrupted Congress as lawmakers were certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential victory, has resulted in over 1,500 federal charges. While some participants were charged with misdemeanors for illegally entering the Capitol, others faced serious charges like assaulting police officers or conspiring to use violence to stop the transfer of power. Leaders of groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys were convicted of seditious conspiracy for their roles in organizing violence.
Despite the controversy, some Republican lawmakers continue to push for blanket pardons for all January 6 participants. Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has said that even those who attacked police or caused damage should be released, arguing they’ve already served enough time.
Hemphill’s story highlights the complex and divisive fallout from that day, as well as the shifting loyalties among those who once stood firmly behind Trump. For Hemphill, the experience has been a turning point, and she’s not looking back.
