50 percent of likely US voters say Jan 6 sentences are too harsh: Rasmussen poll

A new poll from Rasmussen shows that 49 percent of likely US voters now believe that the Capitol riot of January 6, 2021, was nothing more than a peaceful protest that got out of control. In general, 50 percent of likely US voters believe that the sentences issued to those convicted on charges stemming from the January 6 riot are too harsh.

29 percent say that the sentences issued for January 6 protesters are not harsh enough while 20 percent say they are about right. 45 percent of likely US voters say that the Capitol riot was an "illegal insurrection against the government," Rasmussen reports. 

There are distinct party divides, however, with 68 percent of Republicans and 20 percent of Democrats saying the sentences have been too harsh. 75 percent of Democrats think the sentences have either been not harsh enough, at 46 percent, while 29 percent of Democrats think the sentences have been about right.

However, 41 percent of voters who do not subscribe to either the Republican or Democrat party say that the sentences have been too harsh, with only 25 percent saying that they have not been harsh enough.

The survey was conducted among 993 likely voters over September 6, 7 and 10, with a margin of error at 3 percent.

The Capitol riot of January 6, 2021 has been used by Democrats and progressives to continually lambaste and harangue conservatives over the past two years. It has been the basis for Biden's Department of Justice to arrest more than 1,200 people, most of whom have been charged with misdemeanor trespassing. Journalist Owen Shroyer was just sentenced to 60 days in prison for having spoken outside the Capitol on that day, though he did not go inside or tell others to do so.

The US House convened a special committee to look into the riot, with the goal of establishing that President Donald Trump was responsible for it and should be criminally charged. The Department of Justice has charged him, though he was not charged with insurrection.