Guest post by release J6 political prisoner James Tate Grant

James Grant was released from federal custody this fall after 32 months of absolute hell. Along with almost 3 years of his life, he lost scholarships to multiple top law schools – and possibly his legal career.

But James is choosing instead to focus on the things he does have this Christmas. He celebrates his first Christmas with his family since 2021.

James’ past scholarships to multiple top law schools – his future now fully depends on a pardon.

I spent last Christmas (2023) in the DC Gulag with the other political prisoners. We made the time as festive as we could. Some of the guys hung streamers and some of us did skits.

The J6ers celebrated together, and the fine folks at Cowboy Logic hosted calls from a few of us. We had a lavish dish of gourmet pizza bagels. We made enough for everyone: bagels with pepperoni, cheese sauce, sausage and more.

Anything we cooked was better than the slop the DC Jail serves.

The year before that in 2022, I languished in the worst jail in the country: Northern Neck Regional Jail. Being in general population, my Christmas celebration was staying near my “bin” that had all my belongings in it, so that it wouldn’t be stolen by other inmates – a constant worry.

Donate to James Grant Here!

There is one important thing I’d like to say to people about the events that occurred at the Capitol that day. I ask that you view January 6th through a 2021 lens, not a 2024 lens.

Take yourself back to 2020. We endured everlasting lockdowns from a virus whose origins they lied about. Then we watched cities burn during the Summer of Love – which somehow didn’t violate the lockdowns, according to the experts.

I can’t believe I spent 3 years of my life living like this — instead of law school.

After all this, we then watched President Trump’s commanding lead in every swing state vanish overnight to a guy who didn’t even campaign. Observers were expelled in every single swing state, vote tallies changed on live television, and “the most secure election in history” began.

The men and women who stood up to these fraudulent elections did so out of a sense of righteous indignance. We watched in slow-motion as an election was stolen before our eyes and nothing was done about it. We came to DC make our voices heard – and from the start, the police antagonized us.

The J6 Committee didn’t show this part of the “initial breach”. I wonder why!

It seems now the J6ers are finally being vindicated, as the realization that the 2020 election was stolen has become a normalized opinion.

The same J6ers who many conservatives condemned and left to the wolves in 2021.

Donate to James Grant Here!

I was 28 years old when I showed up to protest the 2020 election. I took the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) 12 days later scored in the 92nd percentile, scoring better than 91% of students for that test.

I fear my dream of becoming a lawyer is in danger – but I refuse to give up!

I pushed a fence that the government eventually admitted did not touch anyone. Of course, the prosecutors didn’t admit this fact until trial.

My lawyer and I beat 5 out of 9 charges at trial. After almost 3 years, my nightmare ended. But picking up the wreckage of my life has been extremely difficult.

I pray you are in the middle of reading the greatest comeback story of all time.

But despite everything I’ve gone through, I refuse to give up. I found the love of a merciful God – and maybe this was all part of His plan.

I have a renewed sense of purpose and the inspiration of millions of patriots who have supported me in so many ways.

When I beat them at trial and was acquitted of most charges, the media just flat out lied and wrongfully told the world I injured a police officer. They destroyed my reputation to the world with a complete lie.

“James only pushed a fence and was acquitted of most charges at trial” doesn’t fit the narrative, does it?

To return to law school, I need a full presidential pardon. It will be almost impossible to become an attorney with a felony on my record.

The conduct I engaged in would be more reasonably described as misdemeanor “criminal mischief” at best – and when you consider the 2020 election was likely stolen, it should be considered a patriotic duty to protest tyranny.

Aside from a victimless fence push, I also stopped a rioter (likely Antifa) from breaking windows and intervened to de-escalate situations inside the Capitol building.

Quotes of what I said when interviewed by the FBI. Was I wrong, though?

I showed up with the best of intentions on January 6th. I was a conservative political science major trying to save my country from a stolen election. For that, I was tortured, abused, and lost years of my precious youth.

President Trump, a pardon will change my life. I need a full pardon to return to law school and become a great attorney – and Make America Great Again!

Thank you all and may God bless you and this beautiful nation.