GOP Gov. Chris Sununu says Jan. 6 rioters shouldn't be pardoned and he doesn't 'need' Trump's help to get reelected

Chris Sununu
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, on CNN's "State of the Union."
CNN/"State of the Union"

The governor of New Hampshire said those who were convicted of participating in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol should not be pardoned.

Sununu said during an interview that the people who were part of the riots and the assault on the US Capitol have to be held accountable. I don't care if you were part of burning cities in 2020 or storming the Capitol in 2021," he said.

Everybody needs to be held accountable. That is part of leadership.

At a rally in Texas on Saturday, Trump said he would consider pardoning people who were involved in the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol.

If I win, we will treat those people fairly. Trump said they will treat them fairly. They are being treated unfairly.

More than 760 people have been charged in relation to the insurrection.

CNN anchor Dana Bash asked Sununu if they should be pardoned.

Of course not, my goodness, no, he said.

The Washington Post reported in 2020 that there is little evidence to suggest that the left-wing activist group Antifa was responsible for acts of violence during the mostly peaceful racial justice protests in the summer of 2020.

When asked if he needed the former president's help on the campaign trail for his reelection, Sununu said he didn't need anyone.

As a candidate, you have to stand on your own two feet, look at your fellow citizens in the eye, and earn their vote as you, not as endorsements. He said endorsements are fine.

He said that if you are running for the planning board, governor or president, you need to earn the votes yourself.

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