Trump grants clemency to 26 convicted

Last updated on December 26th, 2020 at 06:17 am

Trump grants clemency: Donald Trump grants pardon to former manager of his election campaign Paul Manafort, to historic friend and advisor Roger Stone, and to Charles Kushner, father of son-in-law and adviser Jered Kushner, husband of Ivanka. Manafort had been convicted in the Russiagate while Stone had lied under oath in Congress. The White House announced 26 new pardons, including those in favor of Manafort, Stone, and Sr. Kushner, immediately after Trump’s arrival in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, for the Christmas holidays. Yesterday the president announced another 20 acts of clemency.

Manafort, 70, was among the first in the magic circle of ‘The Donald’ to be sentenced as part of the investigation into Moscow’s interference in the 2016 presidential elections by special prosecutor Robert Mueller. Stone was sentenced in 2019 for Russiagate. Last July, Trump had already commuted Stone’s sentence before he began serving his sentence in prison.

Kushner’s father had been sentenced to two years in prison. He pleaded guilty in 2014 to evasion, witness bribery, and illegal election donations for a total of 18 counts. Charles Kushner had been indicted by then-attorney Chris Christie, a former governor of New Jersey and a former Republican presidential candidate. While he backed Trump after he pulled out of the race, it appears Jared Kushner prevented Christie from getting government positions.

President Trump granted a full pardon to Margaret Hunter.  According to former Federal Election Commission Commissioner Bradley Smith, the conduct forming the basis of Ms. Hunter’s 2019 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to misuse campaign funds for personal expenses should have been treated as a civil case by the agency. Hunter was sentenced to three years’ probation. President Trump previously issued a full pardon to former Congressman Hunter for the same alleged conduct.

A statement from the Press Secretary Regarding Executive Grants of Clemency confirms President Donald J. Trump granted Full Pardons to 26 individuals and commuted part or all of the sentences of an additional three individuals. Also, Trump granted a full pardon to James Kassouf. According to the statement, this pardon is supported by former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Representative David Joyce, Representative Darrell Issa, Pastor Darrell Scott, and many friends in Northeast Ohio. 

Kassouf pled guilty in 1989 to one count of filing a false tax return. Since his conviction, he devoted extensive time and resources to supporting causes such as Doctors Without Borders, the Red Cross, and his local church and fire department. Kassouf’s pastor, who also writes in support of today’s action, highlights his “vision” to make his community a better place, revitalizing the city of Cleveland. He has been deeply involved in the Northeast Ohio civic.

The outgoing President of the United States granted Mary McCarty a full pardon. Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Christopher Ruddy are among those supportive of Ms. McCarty, who was a long-time public servant in Palm Beach, Florida, as one of its County Commissioners. In 2009, she pled guilty to one count of honest services fraud. The Supreme Court has since interpreted that statute more narrowly, meaning that Ms. McCarty’s conduct might not be criminally prosecuted today.

Full pardon also to Christopher Wade, with the support by Isaac Perlmutter, Mark Templeton, and numerous current and former law-enforcement officials. Wade served two years’ probation after pleading guilty to various cyber-crimes. According to the White House, since his conviction, Templeton has shown remorse and sought to make his community a safer place.

Finally, Trump pardoned some drug traffickers who repented or collaborated with local authorities to dismantle the drug networks. Among them, there are Christopher II X, formerly Christopher Anthony Bryant and Cesar Lozada, who also paid a $10,000 fine. Lozada volunteers on weekends at a charity mission and serves food to the poor.