A Georgia man who was among those pardoned by President Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack now faces new federal charges for allegedly threatening to assassinate judges who oversaw related cases.
Cleveland Meredith, 52, was arrested after an FBI investigation traced a Facebook post to him. The post, made in April, declared: “ALL J6 Federal JUDGES will be EXECUTED!” according to an affidavit unsealed this week.
The FBI verified the account belonged to Meredith by matching it to his phone number and email, and internet records placed him in his Georgia home at the time of the post. He is charged with threatening to assault or murder a federal judge, a felony.
This is not Meredith’s first run-in with the law over threats. In 2021, he pleaded guilty to threatening to kill then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The affidavit from that case noted he drove from Georgia to Washington, D.C., on the evening of Jan. 6, carrying a pistol, a rifle, about 2,500 rounds of ammunition, and ten large-capacity magazines. He texted a relative that he intended to “put a bullet” in Pelosi’s head.
Meredith’s arrest is part of a broader pattern. Since Trump’s blanket pardon of more than 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants on his first day back in office, dozens have been rearrested or charged with new crimes. A June analysis by Lawfare found that at least 97 of those pardoned have faced new charges, including at least 14 involving sex crimes.
The pardons, especially for those convicted of violence, drew bipartisan criticism at the time. Vice President Vance, before the pardons were issued, said in an interview that individuals who “committed violence” should not receive clemency.
Public opinion has also been sharply against the move. A Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted about a month after the pardons found that 83% of Americans opposed clemency for violent offenders, and 55% opposed it even for those convicted of nonviolent crimes. Only 14% supported the president’s decision.
Meredith’s case adds to the mounting legal troubles for some Jan. 6 participants, raising questions about the consequences of the mass pardon and the potential for further threats against the judiciary. Federal prosecutors are seeking to detain him pending trial, arguing he poses a danger to the community and to the judges he allegedly targeted.
His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A hearing is scheduled for later this month.
