Within hours, the Justice Department – which under the Biden administration had secured Rhodes' 2022 conviction – argued that Judge Amit Mehta didn't have the authority to issue that restriction. Trump commuted Rhodes' 18-year sentence Monday along with the sentences of 13 other defendants.

Their leader Elmer Stewart Rhodes had his sentence commuted by Trump after being convicted by a jury of plotting a conspiracy to stop the transfer of power on Jan. 6.

District Judge Amit Mehta issued the order two days after Rhodes visited Capitol Hill, where the Texas resident met with at least one lawmaker, chatted with others and defended his actions the day of the riot.