A lawyer has told CBS News that he discussed pardoning January 6 defendants with Justice Department pardon attorney Ed Martin, including the possibility of clemency for Stewart Rhodes.

Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers militia group, was convicted on seditious conspiracy charges related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack and sentenced to 18 years in prison. He is among the highest-profile defendants from the events of that day.

Ed Martin was recently appointed as the Justice Department's pardon attorney under the Trump administration. The pardon attorney position typically handles clemency applications and makes recommendations to the president on pardons and commutations.

The revelation comes as questions remain about potential clemency for various January 6 defendants. During his campaign, President Trump made statements suggesting he would consider pardons for some individuals charged in connection with the Capitol riot.

More than 1,000 people have been charged in connection with January 6, with cases ranging from misdemeanor trespassing to felony charges including seditious conspiracy. The Justice Department has secured convictions in hundreds of cases related to the events of that day.