DOJ moves to vacate Jan. 6 conviction for Proud Boys leader from WA

The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking to erase the conviction of a prominent leader of the Proud Boys from Washington state for his actions during the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol.

Ethan Nordean is one of a number of Capitol rioters from the far-right groups known as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers for whom the Justice Department asked a federal appeals court to wipe away criminal convictions Tuesday.

In a statement Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, called the development “an appalling and dangerous turn of events.

“The Department of Justice is now acting like in-house counsel for the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys,” continued Raskin, of Maryland.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/04/15/doj-moves-to-vacate-jan-6-conviction-for-proud-boys-leader-from-wa/