A federal judge just flipped the script on two January 6 defendants, ordering refunds for restitution payments in a move that’s got conservatives cheering and scratching their heads at the same time.

The New York Post reported that US District Judge James Boasberg has ruled in favor of Christopher Price and Cynthia Ballenger, two pardoned participants in the January 6, 2021, Capitol unrest, granting them each a $570 refund for payments made after their convictions were vacated.

Let’s rewind to that chaotic day in 2021 when Price and Ballenger, like hundreds of others, stormed the Capitol, entering through the Senate Carriage Door as federal investigators later confirmed.

Months after their actions, both faced charges for their role in the melee that shook the nation’s capital.

Fast forward to this year, and President Trump, fresh into his second term, issued sweeping pardons to roughly 1,600 January 6 defendants, including Price and Ballenger, as one of his first acts after being sworn in.

These pardons sparked fierce debate, but for many on the right, they signaled a long-overdue correction to what they see as overzealous prosecution of patriotic Americans.

Judge Boasberg’s Unexpected Reversal

Initially, Judge Boasberg wasn’t on board with refunding the duo, denying their motion for restitution repayment back in July.

But in a Wednesday order, detailed in a 12-page memo, he reversed course, deciding that the vacatur of their convictions—stemming from their cases being before the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit at the time of the pardon—warranted returning the $570 each had paid.

Boasberg himself noted, “Even if Defendants’ pardon does not entitle them to refunds, the resulting vacatur of their convictions might,” showing a rare moment of judicial humility or, dare we say, common sense.

Now, let’s unpack that quote—while Boasberg admits a pardon alone doesn’t guarantee a refund, he’s conceding that wiping a conviction clean might just tip the scales, a logic that could open doors for others similarly situated.

Still, one wonders if this flip-flop is less about principle and more about dodging the political heat from a freshly empowered conservative base.

President Trump, never one to mince words, has labeled Boasberg a “radical left lunatic,” a jab that resonates with many who view the judge’s broader record with suspicion.

Political Firestorm Ignites Over Ruling

Trump and his GOP allies in Congress aren’t just stopping at sharp words—they’ve called for Boasberg’s impeachment, pointing to his rulings against Trump’s immigration policies and his greenlighting of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s FBI operation, dubbed Arctic Frost, to dig into GOP senators’ phone records.

Some lawmakers have even drafted legislation to oust Boasberg, accusing him of overstepping executive authority, especially in his handling of probes into efforts to challenge the 2020 election results through alternate electors.

Adding fuel to the fire, Boasberg’s criticism of Trump’s use of a 17th-century law to target alleged gang members for extradition to an El Salvadorian prison complex has only deepened the rift, painting him as a judicial roadblock to conservative priorities.