Two-time Olympic gold medalist Klete Keller was among the 1,500 defendants charged in connection to the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capital pardoned by President Donald Trump on Monday.
“It didn’t feel real,” Keller told The Washington Post in his first interview since being arrested.
Klete Keller from Phoenix shows off his bronze medal in the men’s 400-meter freestyle final at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre at the Olympics in September 2000. (IMAGN)
“And waking up this morning, I was like, ‘My gosh. Wow, this is over. I don’t have to check in with my probation officer anymore.”
Keller was one of approximately 1,500 defendants pardoned after Trump signed an executive order granting clemency to those who stormed the Capitol. He pleaded guilty in September 2021 to a felony charge and was sentenced to six months house arrest and three years of probation.
“I really regret the actions I took that day. I love this country,” Keller said in the interview published Tuesday. “I’m just so grateful that I have the opportunity now to move forward.”
Keller acknowledged in court records that he tried to obstruct Congress’ certification of former President Biden’s Electoral College victory and that he brushed away officers who tried to remove him from the Capitol Rotunda. He also admitted to yelling profane comments about former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Klete Keller looks at the clock, confirming he won bronze with a time of 3:44.11 in the men’s 400-meter freestyle at the 2004 Athens Olympics. (IMAGN)
TRUMP PARDONS NEARLY ALL JAN. 6 DEFENDANTS ON INAUGURATION DAY
Keller, a three-time Olympic swimmer, also admitted to tossing his U.S. Olympic team jacket that he wore that day and destroying his phone.
He told The Washington Post that he struggled under “the weight of the justice system,” but he accepted the consequences of his decisions. While never expecting a pardon, Keller expressed his appreciation for Trump’s intervention.
“I’m still trying to comprehend it. I feel like something has been restored to me,” he told the outlet. “You know, I’m not angry. I’m not a victim. I feel blessed to have this opportunity of life again. I’ve learned a lot of lessons. And I’m going to take these lessons forward.”
Klete Keller at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. (AP Photo/Thomas Kienzle, File)
Keller, 42, competed in three Games, winning five medals. He won his second gold in the men’s 4×200 meter freestyle relay alongside Michael Phelps in the 2008 Beijing Games.
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