Man pardoned for Jan. 6 riot by Trump is running for supervisor in this California county

Liliana Fannin, The Sacramento Bee on Mar 26, 2026

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A California man who was convicted of Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach-related charges and later pardoned by President Donald Trump is running for Madera County’s Board of Supervisors in the June primary election.

Benjamin Martin told The Sacramento Bee he is proud to have stood up for Trump. He said he is focused on his campaign for Madera County supervisor and is not dwelling on the past.

“For the last five or six years of my life, the media has been able to write a story about me that’s not who I am,” he said. “One of the neat things about this opportunity is it allows me to become the author of my story again.”

Martin, who worked as a real estate broker for 20 years and now farms gourmet mushrooms, never envisioned running for public office.

That changed when he started receiving calls from some Madera County farmers and residents who asked him to run for the District 1 seat, which covers portions of the City of Madera as well as the Madera Ranchos and Bonnadelle Ranchos areas.

One of those calls urging Martin to run for office came from the California United Water Coalition. The Madera-based grassroots coalition was founded in 2022 by farmers and business owners to advocate for their water rights and oppose state water policies deemed restrictive.

A receptionist at the California United Water Coalition confirmed its endorsement of Martin, but attempts by The Bee to reach coalition representatives were unsuccessful.

“Everyone who endorsed me knows everything about me, and they still choose me,” Martin said.

Martin pardoned by Trump for his part in Jan. 6

In June 2024, a federal jury in Washington, D.C., found Martin guilty of multiple felonies and misdemeanors for his role in the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the congressional certification of President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.

Investigators accused Martin of reaching past officers and holding a door open, allowing others to enter. Chemical spray and pepper bullets were deployed to disperse the crowd, but Martin stayed for over an hour and told officers, “We are going to rise up against an oppressive government,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Trump issued a sweeping pardon for everyone convicted of or charged with federal crimes associated with the incident on the first day of his second term in office.

Martin said he is proud to be a long-time supporter of Trump and is steadfast in his belief that the 2020 election was stolen — a claim which has been debunked.

“I’m very proud of the fact that I showed up for Donald Trump, I’m very much America first,” he said.

Martin said he had some hesitation when agreeing to an interview with The Bee because he feels the media has misrepresented him in the past, but that part of running for a public office means talking openly with people.

Martin said one of his big priorities, if elected, is transparency and accountability. He said that includes the county budget and how much money county officials earn. Martin said he would be a proponent of spreading awareness on what’s being voted on by the board and how different agenda items would impact residents.

Another priority of Martin’s campaign is emergency services, similarly to Supervisor Jordan Wamhoff, the incumbent whom Martin is set to challenge.

Wamhoff has also worked as a police officer in Fresno for the past 15 years. He highlighted a 32% reduction in traffic fatalities over the past four years of his term and a revamp of the ambulance contract in Madera County, which he said improved response times from 20 minutes to 12 minutes in some areas.

Wamhoff said he does not take Martin seriously as a candidate, but is encouraged by the competition to get out into the community and reconnect with voters.

“I’m not worried about him,” Wamhoff said of Martin. “The only thing I’m focusing on is getting my message out to voters.”

Martin was charged with a separate gun offense, spurred by Jan. 6 investigation

Martin was also found guilty of illegally possessing several firearms and ammunition that were discovered locked in a safe in his home after he was arrested for participating in the riot at the Capitol.

He was prohibited from having those weapons after a 2018 incident involving his then-girlfriend led to a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence.

Martin was sentenced to three years and two months in federal prison, but appealed his conviction and sentence to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. He was released in March 2025.

The government’s answering brief is due May 15, according to Lauren Horwood, spokesperson for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.

Martin also made the news in 2021 for being an anti-mask advocate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One of the reasons why I fight so hard for humanity, and what I believe is right, is because I think it’s the most loving, kind thing I can do,” Martin said.

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