Trump Pardons 15, Including Two Figures in Mueller's Russia Probe
President Donald Trump on Tuesday pardoned 15 people, including those with questionable records and known misconducts.
Some of those who received a pardon from Trump were aides who lied in the Russia probe, Blackwater guards, and Republican politicians.
Trump pardoned George Papadopoulos, who spent 14 days in prison for allegedly lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) FBI in special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
Along with Papadopoulos, the president also pardoned Alex van der Zwaan, who was sentenced to 30 days in prison for also lying to Mueller's investigators about contacts with an official in Trump's campaign in 2016. Van der Zwaan, a Dutch, is the son-in-law of Russian billionaire German Khan.
In a statement, Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the clemencies would help "correct the wrong" of the Mueller probe, which Trump denounced as a witch hunt, reported Reuters.
Forbes also noted that the president pardoned two former members of Congress who admitted to committing financial misconduct.
He also pardoned former Blackwater security guards Nicholas Slatten, Paul Slough, Evan Liberty, and Dustin Heard for a 2007 shooting that killed 14 Iraqi civilians.
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Other pardons included alleged financial fraudster Michael Milken, press baron Conrad Black, former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, and others.
Trump Pardons Are 'Misuse of Powers'
Some of Trump's critics said the pardons could be seen as a "misuse of power" less than 30 days before leaving the White House, reported The Independent.
In these remaining days, he has yet to concede his loss to President-elect Joe Biden, whose victory was already certified by the Electoral College.
In an announcement from the White House, it was said the president had issued a total of 20 pardons and commutations.
"Today, President Donald J Trump granted full pardons to 15 individuals and commuted part or all of the sentences of an additional five individuals," the White House said in a statement issued on Tuesday evening.
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Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) condemned many of the issued pardons. He said he doubts that some of those who gained pardons, like people who killed civilians and corrupt Congressmen-people, was in the founders' mind when they prepared the pardon clause.
"Most despicably, President Trump is twisting this presidential power to reward allies who broke the law on his behalf," Blumenthal said.
Trump Suspected to Reward Allies in Final Weeks of Presidency
According to CNBC, Trump's loss during the last election led some to believe that he would be rewarding allies with executive clemency leading to his final weeks in the White House.
But compared to other presidents, he was notably stingy when it came to pardons and sentence commutations.
He issued only 28 pardons and 16 commutations in total, said the Justice Department. The rate is considerably lower than those of other one-term presidents.
Some of his controversial pardons include his first national security advisor Michael Flynn, who made false statements to the FBI in November, and Republican consultant Roger Stone's clemency in July despite being convicted for lying to Congress.
Critics noted as Trump's time at the White House is coming to an end, he appeared to have less interest in governing the country. That is despite the staggering deaths from the pandemic that raced past 320,000.
However, reports did show that he is determined to be called president for four more years. He appeared to be fixated on overturning Biden's victory, slow up transition and use the best of his presidential power.
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