Florida suspends alleged Jan. 6 insurrectionists concealed carry permits

The violent riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 that stalled certification of the presidential election ended with five deaths, roughly 150 injured and more than 635 arrested, including 69 Floridians so far, the most from any single state.

At least 28 of those 69 Floridians arrested on that day in Washington, D.C., had conceal weapons permits. They don’t anymore.

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Commissioner Nikki Fried announced Tuesday that the department’s Division of Licensing had suspended six additional licenses held by individuals involved in the Jan. 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Fried ordered 22 license suspensions in July of those arrested at the Capitol that day.

“The storming of the Capitol on January 6th where we witnessed acts of violence and domestic terrorism intended to undermine our democratic institutions shook our nation to its core – and its impact continues to be felt every day,” Fried said in a statement.

Florida concealed carry permit holders can carry a handgun in public unless, as Fried’ said, they are attested for an act of “domestic terrorism.”

“The individuals involved must be held accountable for their treasonous actions,” she said.

The FDACS Division of Licensing administers Florida’s concealed weapon licensing program for more than 2.1 million state residents with a concealed weapons permit.

Under state law, Fried said, FDACS has the ability to – and is legally required to – immediately suspend a license if a licensee is charged with a disqualifying criminal offense.

Once a judgment is rendered in the case, if the sentence disqualifies the individual from owning a firearm, FDACS can and must revoke the license.

By her interpretation, those arrested in the Jan. 6 insurrection fit the bill.

“While Florida has the shameful distinction of being home to the largest proportion of individuals charged in relation to the insurrection, our department has been using its lawful authority and carrying out its legal duty to suspend the licenses of anyone charged with disqualifying offenses,” she said. “When we announced the initial 22 suspensions earlier this summer, we made it clear that this would be an ongoing effort and that additional suspensions and revocations would be issued as additional charges were filed and sentences rendered.”

More suspensions are coming, said Fried, who is Florida’s only statewide-elected Democrat and one of 10 Democrats seeking the party’s nod to challenge incumbent Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in November 2022.

“We will enact further suspensions and revocations of licenses issued by our department as required by Florida statute,” she said.

By state law, FDACS can neither confirm nor deny if an individual has ever applied for or received a concealed weapon or firearm license, as this information is exempt from disclosure as a public record. Therefore, FDACS is prohibited from releasing the names of people who have received the licenses.

Paul Hodgkins, 38, of Tampa became the first Jan. 6 insurrectionist to be convicted of a felony when he received an eight-month prison sentence in July. He pleaded guilty to obstructing the congressional certification of Joe Biden's victory and is serving his sentence at the Federal Detention Center in Miami, according to the Bureau of Prisons.

Hodgkins’ sentence is relatively light compared to most, which are ranging from 44 to 48 months in prison.

Robert Palmer, 54, of Largo, meanwhile, is looking at up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced in December for attacking police protecting the entrance to the Lower West Terrace of the US Capitol with a wooden plank and a fire extinguisher during the riot.