“We have a different attitude here.”
One of the most well-known sheriffs in Florida is letting his officers know that he has their backs against people recently pardoned by President Donald Trump.
And furthermore, he thinks the President messed up by getting them released from lockdown.
“You’re not only Polk County’s deputies. You’re my deputies,” said Grady Judd in a video to officers that was released Sunday by FOIA Investigations on YouTube.
Trump recently pardoned more than 1,500 people who protested the certification of the 2020 presidential election in January 2021, saying the decision rectified a “grave national injustice” against those he called “J6 hostages.”
“I disagree with that decision. I disagree with it very strongly,” Judd said in the video.
Judd also said he “sent a warning to any of those that were commuted or pardoned, that if they thought they could come to Polk County and resist arrest, that would be a bad mistake.”
“If we have to arrest them and they resist arrest, then we’ll use the force necessary and only the force necessary to take them into custody. And if that means beating your butt to get them to jail, we’ll do that. We have a different attitude here. You’re not only Polk County’s deputies, you’re my deputies,” Judd asserted.
Judd told media earlier this week that he understands “the 30,000 foot view of what the President did, but there’s a granular level where they were attacking our police officers who were just doing their job.”
Trump, in his executive order announcing the decision, offered a “full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.”
As the pardoned have emerged from jails, some of them have been able to tell stories of human rights abuses they suffered while interred.
–A.G. Gancarski, Florida Politics
Deborah Coffey says
It is truly heartening to know that one person with authority in Florida has real common sense.
Billy B says
Would he vote for diaper don again – YES !!!
Endless dark money says
Racist ron the boot licker will have him removed. Don’t speak against the fascist! Why you think the gop always vote together. If you don’t you will be sabatoged and removed. Next guy should def promise to mass pardon any crimes against the fascists! Works both ways ! Republican white supremcey is sick but that’s why they are so concerned about people’s genitals. Pedo party of fascists!
nbr says
Bravo Sherrif Grady Judd, BRAVO
YankeeExPat says
Meanwhile back in Flagler County, our Sherriff, Rick Staley along with local conman/ former commissioner Joe ” the Schmo )” Mullins were waving Bon Voyage to the buses going to the January 6th Insurrection !
Peggy Hatton says
Love Judd, but I strongly disagree with him on this issue. The overwhelming majority who were arrested were not violent. They have had their lives destroyed.
Why is Judd threatening any of them? Does he plan to arrest them? Why? Why does he assume they will resist arrest? Utter nonsense.
Laurel says
Peggy Hatton: Did you watch the insurrection? Did it look like it was non-violent to you? Are you saying these people, many who pleaded guilty, had no clue, or choice, in what they did? They are the victims?
Wow!
They attacked the Capital Police. No one forced them. All who were arrested had a choice in what they participated in. I didn’t see any of these insurrectionists protect the attacked police. I didn’t see them hold back the Capital attackers.
They’re guilty. If their lives were “destroyed” it was their personal choices. They should still be in jail.
anthony johnson says
I have not be even impressed with this sheriff before but I totally agree with him. Sheriff Judd has just gotten my respect for this direction he has exemplified. I’ve got a a lot of family in law enforcement that stands for what he has shown. I commend him being his own man. We need more law enforcement officers like him. Now if he stop toeing the line with the asshole we have for a governor………..
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
“Hold on, I thought we were all fascists? Why is he pardoning these guys that assaulted us? Nevertheless, I’m sure it’s a brilliant move on a 4D chess board that only he himself is privy to.”
What amazing logic, the police mind really is a brilliant, sharp edged knife of truth designed to seek out the facts.
DMFinFlorida says
I have never been a big fan of his, but for once I say high five for having the b@lls to say what a lot more need to say. The pardons were a disgrace and a slap in the face to LEO’s.
vsevolod dounaevski says
as a private citizen, he can have any opinion, but should resign from government service.
Patrick. says
Thank you. Trump is not for law and order he just showed all law enforcement officers that. He is building his own dangerous army just like he did when he organized them to attack the Capitol.
He is preparing for the next time he needs to use them again, that is why and the only reason he let them out.
He doesn’t care about safety for our law enforcement, their all on their own now.
Jay Tomm says
Yes because they were so dangerous crime lifers that needed to be locked away, torn from their families, & never see the light of day again……
Dude should look at the pardons biden did!
Pogo says
@Well done Sheriff Judd
…now, who will protect this good man from desantis, et al.?
Terry says
I’m glad a strong, respected republican sheriff has the courage to say what most of us are thinking. It amazed me just how many of the “we stand with the thin blue line” crowd were ok with these pardons. It’s never ok to attack a police officer. My hats off to Grady Judd!!
Donald says
Don’t worry too much. If anyone finds themselves in Polk County, I’m sure it wasn’t on purpose.
Skibum says
Well, well, well… that is one of the few good things to come out of this drumph sycophant’s mouth recently! I’m very glad to hear that he disagrees, finally, with something the idiot in the WH has done. Maybe, just maybe, this sheriff is coming to the realization that his daddy is exactly what he is… a convicted felon who has the backs of other violent convicted felons. Not someone you want to name drop as your hero. We will see.
JR says
Nobody has more respect for police officers than I but there are alot more dynamics involved than simple assault on police officers. With all due respect to and for Grady Judd, he along with all of us were never allowed to see the evidence associated with who did what on Jan 6, including hundreds of video camera feeds loaded with evidence. Why? Trumps team’s effort to obtain any evidence to review reveals it has all been destroyed. Based on the presumption of innocence, absent any evidence otherwise, except Capital Police statements, isn’t sufficient to uphold any of these charges. Remember it was a Capital Police officer who shot and killed an unarmed young lady and then lied about what we did see on video. Anything associated with the events of Jan 6 should now be a moot point due to the inability to review the evidence the DC insiders wanted destroyed. But Why?
Laurel says
JR: The insurrection will never be a “moot point.” We watched it on TV, live, with our own eyes. The “unarmed young lady” was in the process of breaking into the U.S. Capital, in an attempt to overturn the election, while politicians ran for their lives. She was accompanied with armed attackers.
You do not break in to the U.S. Capital. You do no attack Capital Police. You do not threaten the people inside. You do not threaten to hang the Vice President of the United States.
Are you beginning to understand now? The evidence is there.
Ethan McAuliffe says
I like most of what he stands for and I certainly watch my speed while passing throu Polk County. I really don’t think 1500 of them are saying “let’s go to Polk County and start trouble with their deputies”. Most were locked up and treated inhumanely by our government for non-violent offenses. 18 years+ for simple tresspass even though the were let in. They didn’t deserve decades in the dungeon for getting into a scrap with a cop during a protest. He should be more concerned about Ashli Babbit’s murderer (a DC cop) showing up and shooting innocent people.
Laurel says
Ethan McAuliffe:
OMG.
“Most were locked up and treated inhumanely.” Are you kidding? What do you figure, if you attack the government, you go to a social club? You are okay with breaking the law as long as you get sent to a resort? It’s called prison. That’s what happens. “Simple trespass [sic] even though they were let in”? You call invading the Capital of the United States simple trespass? You call climbing up the walls and smashing windows “let in”?
What the hell is Fox Entertainment telling you people?
Simple trespass.
Iris says
Pardoning some understood–but the trasher-killers and blatantly–running in and destroying-in the capital-not at all acceptable–The pardons that Biden did do not compare on any capacity-
Adam Frank says
This Sherriff seems to crave the spotlight, and may have some sort of disorder.
Karen Cartwright says
I like this sheriff overall. However, too little, too late. He knew the possibility of the orange moron releasing these killer and traitors and supported him anyway.
GARY DONNER says
You paint too broad of stroke in your statement. Some deserved to be incarcerated; most did not. Let’s hear what you have to say about the 2020 riots. Not a peep from the media.
Laurel says
YOU DO NOT BREAK INTO THE CAPITAL OF THE UNITED STATES!
They all deserved to be incarcerated!
Is anyone learning civics anymore?l
Wanda says
This guy is showing his true colors.
John Witt says
I do not believe this article. It is hard for me to believe the Sheriff Grady Judd would make a statement like that. If anyone should know that Donald Trump has the back of all LEO it should be Sheriff Grady Judd.
Many of those that were sent to prison were LEO’s and veterans who have given themselves to protect all of us and most importantly the Constitution.
Anna says
President Trump pardoned those innocently charged with the J6 situation. I disagree with this sheriff. Watch, re-watch the videos of J6, and you will see officers simply standing aside, allowing people to enter. The “planted” individuals to create riot were called out, left and right, yet officers ignored.
KUDOS to President Trump for “righting” the wrong of Pelosi et al.
Sherry says
@anna. . . apparently you only watched well chosen Fox videos which denied the terrible carnage from the Jan. 6th violent “Insurrection”. May I suggest that you change the channel, and then do some “honest” research on what factually happened on that historically horrific day. Thanks!
Joe D says
For Jay T.:
Yes, let’s look at the Biden Pardons and COMMUTATIONS…
-He COMMUTED (not PARDONED) a large group of those on Death Row to LIFE in PRISON (not multiple murderers or extra ordinary circumstances)
-He pardoned many with charges of SIMPLE Marijuana POSSESSION ( not distribution or sales), with no other violent charges.
-He also pardoned some of those convicted of (again), SIMPLE Cocaine POSSESSION (no distribution or sales) and no other violent charges.
Now let’s look at Trump’s PARDONS…
He COULD have taken the time (or assigned staff) to review the individual cases, and potentially release those of the 1500-1600 convicted who simply NON -VIOLENTLY trespassed inside the Capitol building.
No….THOSE insurrectionists were GENERALLY not the ones imprisoned in the first place. He just decided to release almost ALL of those convicted, as a MASSIVE GROUP…INCLUDING those that destroyed Capitol property, assaulted and critically injured Police officers, and trashed individual offices, while threatening MIKE PENCE ( at the direction of Donald Trump), and Nancy Pelosi.
Yep …TRUMP’S and BIDEN’S pardons look pretty much ALIKE (that was Sarcasm, if it went over your head).
Laurel says
Okay, someone show me how to bridge the gap now. How to listen to the other side.
People are entitled to their opinions, but to smooth over one of the worst events of our history is way too much for me. People seem clueless of laws, of civics, of judgments, of downright reality.
One insurrectionist refused her pardon as she said she was guilty, as many have pleaded. One person, out of about 1,500 people, understood what she did. That means 1,499 people just worried about their own asses. Under no circumstances, are these 1,499 people patriots. They broke the law. They attacked people. Around 140 Capital Police Officers were injured by all these supposedly innocent, mistreated people WHO BROKE IN! People died!
First, it was the claim, by the right, that it was ANTIFA who broke into the Capital. Then it was Black Lives Matter who broke in. Then Trump pardoned them when it could no longer be denied it was Trump supporters. Now, they are poor, innocent people who were inhumanely treated, and don’t deserve prison.
So, again, what do we listen to in order to “bridge the gap”? It’s like trying to talk to people who followed Jim Jones before it was too late.
Thomas Hutson says
Sheriff Judd
What you got their backs? That’s Great! My question to Judd and the rest of the Red Florida Sheriffs and Police Chief’s in Florida, including the constitutional Sheriff’s and Chief’s, you supported King Trump. Do you really think this guys really supports LAW ENFORCEMENT? He posed for pictures with that scum bag, the leader of the Oath Keepers on the dais with him. He PARDONDED SCUM BAGS THAT BEAT AND KILLED CAPITAL POLICE OFFICERS! Please don’t try to say it was Bidens or Pelosi’s fault. For those that think January 6th was not violent, open your eyes and watch the films! Then again, try to say they were nonviolent scum bags – they meant to “KILL the Vice-President, Speaker of the House Pelosi” and others. Please don’t say it was a guided tour and they were invited in. Oh my, and some of these Dirt Bags are now crying they suffered “Human Rights Abuse while interred”. Make your complaint to the “Tour” operator King Trump, he might be able to get you your pay back. I challenge any Sheriff or Police Chief to “FIRE” any of their officers involved in that “INSURRECTION AT THE Capital on January 6th.” Their oath was violated in an attempt to over throw our government. From one Police Officer to anyone of them “You are also scum bags” just like the proud boys and oath keepers and you do not warrant being in LAW ENFORCEMENT. I, for one, will never call you a brother Police Officer. Please don’t ever say how sorry you are for One of MY Fallen Brother Officers, when you and your kind did nothing to stop the insurrection at the nation’s capital on January 6th 2021!
Mari Jo Hataway says
Grady and Ron DeSantis are best buds. No problem there. I love Grady Judd. I have voted for him for years but this post seems a little off the rails. Also, I would think he would comment on Biden’s pardons and unconstitutional preemptive pardons.