Race Day Live (Colorado 2025) – According to court filings, a Jan. 6 rioter who touts herself online as the “J6 praying grandma” will be allowed to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration to watch her daughter, the deputy director of the swearing-in ceremony, set up the stage and conduct other “supervisory” chores.
Rebecca Lavrenz, a Colorado resident who runs a bed-and-breakfast, was sentenced in August to six months in home confinement for her acts at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. She is not suspected of engaging any violence or striking any officers that day, but she has been charged with multiple federal offenses for illegally entering the Capitol through the East Rotunda entrance and being there for at least 10 minutes. A jury finally found her guilty of entering and remaining in a restricted building, unruly and disruptive behavior in a limited building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol.
On Thursday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui accepted Lavrenz’s request to alter her probation restrictions so she may attend the inauguration, in which her daughter, Laura Lavrenz, appears to play an important role.
“Laura Lavrenz’ duties include organizing, staging, and facilitating the swearing in ceremony for Donald J. Trump,” said Rebecca Lavrenz’s attorney, John M. Pierce, in a Jan. 15 application to amend his client’s probation restrictions.
Faruqui granted the motion, but had previously expressed major misgivings about the defendant’s activities.
Faruqui chastised Rebecca Lavrenz, 72 at the time of her sentencing, for publicly criticizing the court system and pending criminal cases on January 6. She was also called out for “profiting off the celebrity of her conviction” through media appearances.
Instead of the DOJ’s suggested 10-month term, Faruqui sentenced Rebecca Lavrenz to one year of probation and a $103,000 fine for her “egregious conduct,” according to WRC. He ordered her to serve the first six months of her sentence in house confinement and to avoid using the internet.
On January 15, Pierce filed a motion to amend Rebecca Lavrenz’ probation requirements so that she may attend Trump’s inauguration. Other defendants have done the same, with some accepted but most denied.
According to Pierce, “this will be a significant moment for the Lavrenz family,” which prompted Rebecca’s plea.
DOJ prosecutors claimed in a follow-up filing that they had no difficulty accepting it after consulting with Lavrenz’ probation officer in Colorado and hearing how well-behaved she has been.
In addition to Lavrenz’ daughter working for Trump, the president-elect has also mentioned the “praying grandma” in social media posts, claiming she was “unfairly targeted,” according to the Washington Post.
Trump has promised to pardon Jan. 6 rioters once he takes office, claiming in interviews that both violent and peaceful protestors “had no choice” but to act out that day in response to the 2020 election results.
According to The Gazette newspaper in Colorado, Lavrenz has stated that she will not accept a pardon from the Trump administration because she is appealing her case and seeking a precedent-setting win, which a pardon would ultimately undermine.
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