The Justice Department issued a statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland regarding the Supreme Court’s decision in Fischer v. United States.
“January 6 was an unprecedented attack on the cornerstone of our system of government — the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next. I am disappointed by today’s decision, which limits an important federal statute that the Department has sought to use to ensure that those most responsible for that attack face appropriate consequences."
Garland emphasized that "the vast majority of the more than 1,400 defendants charged for their illegal actions on January 6 will not be affected by this decision." He noted that there are no cases where the Department charged a January 6 defendant solely with the offense at issue in Fischer. For cases impacted by the ruling, Garland assured that "the Department will take appropriate steps to comply with the Court’s ruling."
He concluded, “We will continue to use all available tools to hold accountable those criminally responsible for the January 6 attack on our democracy.”