January 6 Participant Pamela Hemphill Rejects Trump Pardon, Apologizes on Fifth Anniversary

January 7, 2026 — Pamela Hemphill, a 72-year-old Idaho woman convicted for her role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot and known online as “MAGA Granny,” delivered an emotional testimony on Tuesday during a Democratic-led forum marking the fifth anniversary of the attack.

Hemphill, who formally rejected President Trump’s blanket pardon for January 6 defendants issued in 2025, expressed deep remorse and criticized the influence of what she called the “MAGA cult.”

In her remarks, Hemphill stated:

“Once I got away from the MAGA cult and started educating myself about January the 6th, I knew what I did was wrong. I am guilty, and I own that guilt. I had fallen for the president’s lies.”

She pleaded guilty in 2022 to a misdemeanor charge of parading in the Capitol, serving 60 days in prison followed by probation. Hemphill explained that accepting the pardon “would be lying about what happened on January the 6th.”

During the hearing, reconvened by House Democrats (with no Republican participation), Hemphill apologized directly to Capitol Police officers present, crediting them for protecting her when she was trampled by the crowd. Holding back tears, she said she was “truly sorry from the bottom of my heart” for endangering officers and condemned ongoing efforts to downplay the events.

Hemphill, a retired addiction counselor and cancer survivor, described how therapy and exposure to facts helped her change her views after initially believing election fraud claims. She has faced harassment for her shift in perspective but said she felt compelled to speak out against misinformation.

The forum contrasted sharply with White House actions on the anniversary, including the launch of a website praising Trump’s handling of January 6 and framing the pardons as correcting a “historic wrong.”

A viral social media graphic from Occupy Democrats, featuring a photo of Hemphill testifying and overlaying her direct quote, has been widely shared to highlight her remarks and rejection of the pardon.