Donald Trump’s pardon pen is getting lots of action. He pardoned controversial conservative commentator this morning and now there is talk he may pardon Martha Stewart and commute the sentence for former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
Will be giving a Full Pardon to Dinesh D’Souza today. He was treated very unfairly by our government!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2018
“D’Souza, an author and filmmaker, was indicted on charges that he illegally used straw donors to contribute to a Republican Senate candidate in New York in 2012. He was sentenced to five years of probation, including eight months living under supervision in a “community confinement center” in San Diego, and a $30,000 fine.”
Senator Ted Cruz was one of those asking Trump to pardon D’Souza.
Bravo! @realDonaldTrump Dinesh was the subject of a political prosecution, brazenly targeted by the Obama administration bc of his political views. And he’s a powerful voice for freedom, systematically dismantling the lies of the Left—which is why they hate him. This is Justice. https://t.co/cGHzcgwSnK
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 31, 2018
Obama & his stooges tried to extinguish my American dream & destroy my faith in America. Thank you @realDonaldTrump for fully restoring both
— Dinesh D'Souza (@DineshDSouza) May 31, 2018
I want to thank @realDonaldTrump for giving my husband a pardon but I particularly want to thank @SenTedCruz for putting it on his radar and helping make it happen! So grateful! #DineshDsouzaPardon
— Debbie D'Souza (@Debber66) May 31, 2018
“This is Trump’s fifth pardon. On Thursday, he told reporters that he is also considering a pardon for Martha Stewart, who served time for conspiracy and lying to federal investigators but has been free for more than a decade. Trump said she was “unfairly treated” and “used to be my biggest fan in the world.”
And the president said he was considering commuting the sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was sentenced to more than a decade in prison for corruption after he tried to sell the Senate seat vacated by former President Barack Obama.
Trump said Blagojevich was put in jail “for being stupid and saying things that … many other politicians say.” He also noted that Blagojevich is a Democrat.”
Just like he has with past pardons, Trump is not following the customary pardon process this time around either.
This will surprise no one, but I'm told Dinesh D'Souza does not have a pending petition with the Office of the Pardon Attorney. Generally, those seeking pardons have to wait five years from when they are released from confinement, then apply there. https://t.co/7pGnvbixOS
— Matt Zapotosky (@mattzap) May 31, 2018
The legal community is weighing in.
The President has the right to pardon but the facts are these: D'Souza intentionally broke the law, voluntarily pled guilty, apologized for his conduct & the judge found no unfairness. The career prosecutors and agents did their job. Period. https://t.co/bA3I8vs4QQ via @politico
— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) May 31, 2018
CNN’s Chris Cillizza says by pardoning D’Souza Trump is setting the stage for possible pardons down the road for Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and attorney Michael Cohen:
“The message is clear: Don’t flip, Michael. This is all a witch hunt. Hang in there! I support you!
Presidential pardons are the other major weapon in Trump’s arsenal to combat the pressure campaign by Mueller.”
Trump’s Dinesh D’Souza pardon today, on top of his pardons of Scooter Libby and Joe Arpaio, make sense only as an elephant-whistle to Michael Cohen & all who know damning things about Trump: protect me & I’ll have your back. Turn on me & your goose is cooked. More obstruction!
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 31, 2018
Imagine if Nixon had been waiting with a stack of pardons for his Plumbers to return from the Watergate break-in. A president may not be above the law, but he has the power to put his henchmen above the law. That’s what Trump is telling Manafort & others with the D'Souza pardon.
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) May 31, 2018
Pardoning convictions for bribery and public corruption (Blagojevich) and making false statements to the FBI (Stewart).
Someone gave him a list of all the possible charges he's going to face and he's finding celebrities convicted of them to pardon.#consciousnessofguilt https://t.co/skp1HiQxPo
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) May 31, 2018
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