Judge Royce Lamberth Denies Russell Taylor's Request to Attend Trump's Inauguration Despite Utah Delegation Invitation

Jan 4, 2025, 05:06 PM

A U.S. District Judge, Royce Lamberth, has denied Russell Taylor, a Jan. 6 Capitol rioter, permission to attend President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. Taylor, who had pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding in 2023, was invited to the event by former Utah Congressman Chris Stewart and three current Utah congressional representatives. Judge Lamberth cited the severity of Taylor's actions during the Capitol riots, including leading a group of armed individuals, carrying weapons such as a knife, bear spray, and a hatchet, and threatening police officers, as reasons for the denial. The judge emphasized that attending the inauguration, a celebration of the peaceful transfer of power, is an immense privilege and deemed it inappropriate for Taylor to be granted such permission. Taylor had cooperated with prosecutors in other cases, including testifying against the Three Percenters militia, and received a lighter sentence of three years of probation and home confinement. Despite his compliance with court orders, the judge ruled that Taylor's past conduct disqualified him from attending the event. Taylor's attorney expressed disappointment but stated respect for the court's decision. Other Jan. 6 defendants, including Christopher Belliveau and Eric Peterson, have also sought permission to attend the inauguration, with mixed outcomes from the courts.