Who Did Donald Trump Pardon?

So, Who did Donald trump pardon ?- Check the Trump pardon list at the end of this article. First of all, whenever President Donald Trump pardons a convicted individual, it generates national headlines.Trump clemency has been granted to a number of felons. In general, presidential pardons are difficult to come by because they are rarely issued. However, President Trump pardons individuals more frequently than most of his predecessors. Whenever trump commutes sentences it has always led a huge controversy in the past.

Additionally, many presidents wait until closer to the end of their terms to issue many pardons. Here, President Trump broke the mold by granting pardons much earlier on in his term. In fact, the first of the President Trump pardons issued on August 25, 2017 to the former Arizona sheriff convicted of contempt of court, Joseph M. Arpaio. Learn more about the other President Trump pardons list below.

Who Did President Trump Pardon Today?

The most recent of the President Trump pardons issued on July 29, 2019. In total, five individuals received President Trump pardons on that date. Also, two prisoners received commutations of their sentences on that same date. Based on the history of President Trump clemency practices so far, there will likely be more President Trump pardons before the end of his term. Donald Trump has granted executive clemency to a number of individuals.

President Trump’s Use of Executive Clemency Powers

Unlike his predecessors, potential President Trump pardons are discussed openly. Many past presidents chose not to reveal serious candidates for pardons. For example, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich may receive one of the coveted President Trump pardons. To date, he served half of his 15-year sentence for corruption charges. In that case, President Trump publicly commented that he thought the sentence was unfair.

Another potentially unique use of executive clemency powers by President Trump is for U.S. soldiers charged with committing war crimes. For instance, one of the high profile cases involves Navy SEALS Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher. He faces charges for killing unarmed civilians and murdering an enemy captive while serving in Iraq. President Trump spoke openly about considering a pardon for his charges. He also touched on the case of a group of Marine snipers who urinated on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters. President Trump requested an expedited review of the petitioners’ files from the Justice Department for those cases.

Furthermore, President Trump bypasses traditional procedures for reviewing clemency petitions. Previously, he proactively requested pardon petition files from the Department of Justice. President Trump does not shy away from exercising presidential pardon powers when a particular case resonates with him as unjust.

What Pardons Have Been Granted by President Donald Trump?

Who did Donald Trump pardons ?, trump pardons list ,trump pardons, trump commutes sentences, trump clemency

Who did Donald Trump pardon ?

The President Trump pardons issued so far cover a wide range of criminal offenses. Some of those federal offenses include:

  • Contempt of court
  • Obstruction of justice
  • Perjury
  • Campaign contribution fraud
  • Use of fire to damage and destroy U.S. federal property
  • Assault
  • Mail fraud
  • Unpremeditated murder
  • RICO violations
  • Conversion of government property
  • Conspiracy to steal firearms
  • Participating in an illegal gambling business
  • Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana
  • Violation of the White Slave Traffic Act

Sometimes, presidents issue pardons to indicate their views on the severity of a sentence or the nature of the criminal activity. Many times, this occurs in cases involving convictions for non-violent drug crimes. In other situations, presidents issue pardons to right an injustice in the criminal process and spark wider discussion of the issue.

It is important to note that the president can only grant clemency for federal offenses. Therefore, those convicted of state criminal offenses must pursue clemency through the appropriate state authority.

How Many People Has Trump Pardoned?

So far, the President Trump pardons issued total 15. In addition, President Trump commutes sentences for other prisoners. This means that the prisoners do not have to serve the remainder of their prison sentences. Six individuals received prison sentence commutations from President Trump so far. President Trump did not announce a date by which the next pardons will issue.

Who Has Trump Pardoned?

The list of the 15 individuals who received President Trump pardons list include:

 The recipients of President Trump pardons have diverse backgrounds and criminal convictions. For some of the trump pardon list recipients, their efforts to transform their lives while in prison struck a chord with President Trump. Prisoners who make amends for their crimes and work to turn their lives around have compelling cases for presidential pardons.

Are Presidential Pardons Public Record?

Unfortunately, all of the documents associated with an application for a presidential pardon are not publicly available. However, the list of petitioners who have received President Trump pardons is available through the Department of Justice. Executive privilege applies to the documents and communications within the executive branch related to presidential pardon petitions.

As a result, petitioners cannot access previous successful petitions to use in drafting their application. Thus, an experienced criminal lawyer is essential in applying for a pardon. They can assist with the content of the application and make sure that an applicant meets all of the requirements for a presidential pardon.

Remember that the Office of the Pardon Attorney does not provide legal advice to those seeking presidential pardons. The attorneys cannot advise applicants on whether they meet the requirements to apply for a presidential pardon or how best to do so.

This is the responsibility of a private criminal defense attorney. Along those lines, a criminal defense attorney can advise you on whether there are other options available when faced with a criminal conviction. In some cases, the convicted individual may apply for other post conviction relief, such as early release from prison.

The Process of Applying for President Trump Pardons

All applications for presidential pardons go through the Office of the Pardon Attorney within the U.S. Department of Justice. Currently, Rosalind Sargent-Burns serves as the Acting Pardon Attorney. This office reviews and investigates all presidential pardon applications. This part of the process can take months to complete. Then, they deliver their recommendations on clemency to the president for final determination.

In order to finalize a presidential pardon, the petitioner must accept the pardon offer and admit that a crime occurred. Unfortunately, the president denies many pardon applications. For instance, on April 16, 2018, President Trump denied 82 pardon applications. For that reason, petitioners must put their best foot forward in seeking a presidential pardon.

Call Brandon Sample PLC Today to Discuss a Pardon in Your Case

In sum, a presidential pardon can help put your life back on track after a criminal case. Even when a president is inclined to grant more pardons than usual, it is still a complicated, difficult process to get through. As such, petitioners should not apply for a presidential pardon without the assistance of competent counsel. Speaking with a knowledgeable criminal attorney can make the process much easier to get through. Also, you will ensure that your rights are protected.

Call Brandon Sample PLC at 802-444-HELP right away to discuss the potential of a presidential pardon for your case. Set up a consultation with our skilled criminal defense team to begin the application process.

About Brandon Sample

Brandon Sample is an attorney, author, and criminal justice reform activist. Brandon’s law practice is focused on federal criminal defense, federal appeals, federal post-conviction relief, federal civil rights litigation, federal administrative law, and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Recommended for you

President Biden’s Clemency Initiative

President Biden is set to announce a new clemency initiative similar to the ones previously offered by President Obama. The NY Times is reporting that the new initiative will focus on racial inequality. While the details of this clemency initiative are not yet known, it will likely take the form...
Read More about President Biden’s Clemency Initiative

Clemency Push Continues

The New York Times reports that the Biden Administration is continuing to prepare for a clemency push: New York Times Biden Clemency
Read More about Clemency Push Continues

President Biden and Clemency

Clemency and Joe Biden - A Look Forward The President’s (Joe Biden) constitutional powers to pardon are well established. The provision, allowing the granting of “Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States” has been broadly interpreted by the Supreme Court, allowing the President an array of clemency options....
Read More about President Biden and Clemency

Leave a Comment