Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Ian Maule
When Donald Trump was elected president he was awarded plenty more powers than the average man, and one of those is being able to pardon criminals for their crime.
The Republican has a history of doing this, including in his final moments as president in January 2021 he granted clemency to 143 individuals. Some celebrities, including his former aide Steve Bannon and rapper Lil Wayne were among those pardoned.
Now, four years on and his own felony conviction, the 78-year-old will soon return to the White House to several convicts pleading with him to show them the same grace he did others. A president can issue pardons – which means to remove a punishment after a court decision – and commutations, which is a reduction in punishment, but they can only do this for federal convictions and not state crimes.
It’s been revealed a host of people, ranging from disgraced politicians, rioters on January 6 and TV stars have already been begging Trump for a pardon. Posting on Truth Social in March, the president-elect vowed one of his first acts would be to free those who rioted for being “wrongfully imprisoned”. He’s repeatedly promised to pardon those involved in the violent riots on the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., in an attempt to overthrow the results of the 2020 election.
Joseph Biggs, one of the four Proud Boys leaders, is one man currently serving a priston sentence hoping to be shown some lenience. He was found guilty of seditious conspiracy last year and was one of 70 members of the far-right extremist group who were charged for participating in the violence, the Independent reports.
Last week Biggs’ attorney Norm Pattis said: “These are divisive times. The divisions were acute in 2020, when millions believed the election was stolen and turned out to make sure electoral integrity was preserved. Suspicions and bitterness about the election lingers to this day. A pardon of Mr. Biggs will help close that wound and inspires confidence in the future.”
The infamous Tiger King Netflix star Joe Exotic is also on the list of people hoping to be released. Writing Trump a letter from Fort Worth’s Federal Medical Centre, he said: “A lot of people went to bat for you in 2021 who have been living in hell ever since then. Everyone hopes you keep the promises you made during your campaign, which include pardoning everyone sooner than later in January 2025.”
Exotic, real name Joe Allen Maldonado, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for a murder-for-hire plot against arch-enemy Carole Basking and charges of animal abuse. The 61-year-old used to own exotic animals, including tigers, and asked the soon-to-be president if he can be hired as the Federal Fish and Wildlife director. He added: “It is time to bring some honesty to this department because the former director, Dan Ash, only looked out for himself and his position within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.”
Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Househoulder will be hoping to receive a pardon from Trump after being found guilty of leading a racketeering conspiracy which involved pocketing $60million in bribes in connection with FirstEnergy Corp.
Speaking about his client, who is only 16 months into a 20 year sentence, lawyer Scott Pullins said: “Larry has a long history with Donald Trump. I think he’ll be particularly receptive to this clemency request. We are pursuing all legal avenues to bring Speaker Householder home.”
TV couple Todd and Julie Chrisley shot from fame to misery in just under a decade after being found guilty of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30million in fraudulent loans. The couple, both 51, who appeared in 2014 series Chrisley Knows Best are both serving a combined 19-year sentence.
Father-of-five Todd was ecstatic to hear of a second Trump administration. A member close to the family told MailOnline: “Todd is jumping for joy in prison and is so optimistic that he will be able to walk out of there when Trump takes office.
Rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black were on Trump’s clemency list in 2021 — and now Torrence Hatch, a.k.a. “Boosie Badazz” or “Boosie” made a public appeal to the Republican president. Hatch, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was arrested during a traffic stop for possession of a firearm, shortly before he was due to perform in San Diego, California.
While the original case was dismissed on July 12, new charges brought against him in July 19 connected the initial case, and included a second charge of drug dealing. Writing on X earlier this month, he said: “CAN U PARDON ME ON MY FED CASE? I’m a NON VIOLENT FELON.” Hatch had previously served time in prison after 2009 felony convictions for gun and drug charges.
