Donald Trump has forgiven 26 other people in his second big wave of clemency actions since Tuesday, marking yet another bold application of presidential power to reward loyalists.
The US president forgave his former campaign president Paul Manafort, his longtime adviser Roger Stone and Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner.
Stone, a longtime friend and associate, was sentenced on a series of charges related to the investigation in Russia commuted by the president in July.
In total, Trump forgave or issued commutations to 29 people on Wednesday, including Margaret Hunter, wife of Duncan Hunter, the former California Republican representative, who was pardoned yesterday.
Trump’s latest set of prenatal pardons follows a blatant round of pardons and commutations granted on Tuesday. The president granted 15 pardons and five commutations to the allies, including two figures who pleaded guilty in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
On Tuesday, the president forgave George Papadopoulos, a former adviser who pleaded guilty lying to federal officials during the investigation in Russia, and Alex van der Zwaan, a Dutch lawyer and son-in-law of Russian billionaire German Khan. Van der Zwaan pleaded guilty to similar charges.
Papadopoulos and Van der Zwaan were the third and fourth people pardoned for charges related to the Russian investigation. In November, Trump pardoned his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about contacts with a Russian officer. The president, who has long been ridiculed for investigating Russian interference in the 2016 elections as a “farce”, is expected to forgive those involved in the investigation.
Tuesday’s wave of pardons was also awarded to four former Blackwater contractors who were convicted on charges related to the 2007 Iraq massacre. The four men, part of a security convoy, shot indiscriminately at civilians, killing 14 people – including a nine-year-old child. The move drew harsh criticism, including from the families of those killed. Adil al-Khazali, whose father Ali was killed in the attack, said in response: “There is no such thing as justice.”
According to the United States Constitution, the president has broad unilateral powers of pardon, but pardons are traditionally reviewed by the justice department. Many of Trump’s pardons, however, appear to conflict with departmental standards – and are instead granted as a means of rewarding allies or acting out grudges. Only five of the 65 pardons and commutations that Trump issued before Wednesday were recommended by the justice department’s pardon lawyer, according to a count by Harvard law professor Jack Goldsmith.
Manafort, 71, was convicted of convictions, including unregistered lobbying, tax fraud, bank fraud and money laundering. Stone, 68, was convicted of lying to Congress and obstructing a Congressional investigation into whether the Trump campaign was colluding with Russia to win the 2016 elections. “Mr President, my family and I humbly thank you for the Presidential Forgiveness that you granted me. Words cannot fully convey how grateful we are, ”Manafort tweeted on Wednesday night.
Presidential pardon does not protect anyone from state charges, and Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance Jr is still seeking to prosecute Manafort for state crimes. Trump’s pardon “underscores the urgent need to hold Mr. Manafort accountable for his crimes against the People of New York, as alleged in our indictment, and we will continue to seek our appeals resources,” said Danny Frost, spokesman for Vance , to CNBC. A judge had prevented Vance from pursuing his case to protect Manafort from being prosecuted twice for the same crimes.
A Trump lawyer allegedly offered pardons to Manafort and Flynn when they were approached by federal investigators – raising suspicions that the pardons were offered in exchange for loyalty to Trump. The New York Times reported for the first time in 2018. In his report after the investigation, Mueller wrote: “Many of the president’s acts directed at witnesses, including discouraging cooperation with the government and suggestions for possible future pardons, occurred in public. “
Adam Schiff, the California Democratic representative who sued Trump’s impeachment trial, said: “During Mueller’s investigation, Trump’s lawyer proposed a pardon to Manafort. Manafort withdrew his cooperation with prosecutors, lied, was convicted, and then Trump praised him for not “reporting”. Trump’s forgiveness now completes the corrupt scheme. “
“Lawless until the bitter end”, Schiff tweeted.
The deputy also noted that many serving time in federal prisons were convicted of non-violent crimes and deserved an extension. “But who does Trump forgive? Those who lie, cheat or steal for him and his family, ”said Schiff.
Charles Kushner, 66, pleaded guilty to tax evasion and lying to the Federal Election Commission. He also pleaded guilty to tampering with witnesses after retaliating against his brother-in-law William Schulder, who was cooperating with federal investigators. Kushner was accused of hiring a sex worker to seduce Schulder, film the meeting and send the tape to Schulder’s wife – Kushner’s sister.
Another twist: Kushner was sued by Chris Christie, a former United States attorney and New Jersey governor who is loyal to Trump.
The executive director of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics watchdog group said: “In forgiving Paul Manafort, Roger Stone and Charles Kushner, President Trump has made it clear that he believes the purpose of forgiveness is to rescue wealthy white men attached to him. Trump has turned an instrument of mercy and justice into just another way of being corrupt. “
Ben Sasse, a Republican senator from Nebraska, issued a more succinct statement in reaction to pardons: “This is rotten to the core.”
It is unclear whether the president will issue more pardons, which the White House has discussed giving out “as Christmas presents,” reported Axios. The White House, which daily shares the president’s public programming with the media, said that on Christmas Eve Trump will be in Florida and “as the holiday season approaches, President Trump will continue to work tirelessly for the American people. Its schedule includes many meetings and calls. “