Former President Donald Trump has declared his intention to issue “full, complete and unconditional” pardons to individuals linked to efforts to establish alternate electors and submit claims of his 2020 election victory in pivotal states.
This announcement followed an old post from U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin early Monday. According to Martin, those pardoned also include individuals who aimed to uncover alleged voting fraud and flaws during the 2020 presidential election.
Martin mentioned that Trump is taking a more personal approach to the pardon process compared to his predecessor, pointing out that his signature was “wet,” indicating it was hand-signed.
Prominent figures on the list of pardoned individuals include Trump’s lawyer Boris Epshteyn, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, ex-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, former federal prosecutor Sidney Powell, and attorney John Eastman, who provided legal advice to Trump’s 2020 campaign. Interestingly, Trump did not pardon himself.
“These individuals faced undue persecution by the Biden administration for questioning the legitimacy of an election central to our democracy,” White House press secretary Caroline Levitt conveyed in a statement.
Levitt further asserted that an indictment with dubious outcomes would be more suited to a country like Venezuela, not the United States, reiterating Trump’s mission to halt what she termed the Biden administration’s “communist tactics.”
The announcement emphasized that these pardons aim to rectify “a grave national injustice” that occurred post-2020 election and continue a path toward national reconciliation.
A White House source told Blaze News that due to significant issues in the 2020 election, individuals in seven states acted to safeguard the electoral process, believing they were exercising their First Amendment rights while seeking justice through various channels.
This official equated the actions of those pardoned to past “pardoners,” referencing the 1960 Hawaii alternate electors who faced no legal repercussions.
“The alternate electors were participating in a purely constitutional process within Congress,” the official noted, emphasizing that state jurisdictions should not be involved in federal matters.
While these pardons might provide some protection against federal charges, they are largely seen as symbolic and may not aid those facing state prosecutions, as seen in ongoing cases like the so-called “fake elector” situation in Arizona or the challenges in Georgia.
One of the pardoned individuals, Jeff Clark, thanked Trump but acknowledged that his legal troubles are far from over. He expressed hope that the pardon would conclusively resolve his legal challenges but remained cautious about the disciplinary actions pending against him.
Martin shared that when he took his role, Trump emphasized focusing on two groups: those deserving of pardons and those targeted by the current administration. He indicated that alternate electors and their associates quickly emerged as a priority.
This announcement follows a recent pardon for former baseball player Darryl Strawberry and the pardoning of nearly 1,500 individuals involved in the January 6 events not long ago.
