President Trump announced 26 new pardons on Wednesday, including full pardons for his longtime ally Roger Stone, former campaign chairperson Paul Manafort, and Charles Kushner, the father of White House senior advisor Jared Kushner.
The US Department of Justice in November 2019 found Roger Stone guilty of obstruction of a congressional investigation, five counts of making false statements to Congress, and tampering with a witness. Trump claims “prosecutorial misconduct” by the Special Counsel Robert Mueller team and “political bias” at Stone’s jury trial. Trump had previously commuted Stone’s 40-month sentence.
Paul Manafort pleaded guilty in September 2018 to counts of conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to commit money laundering, tax fraud, failing to file Foreign Bank Account Reports and Violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, lying to the Department of Justice, and witness tampering. The judge sentenced Manafort to 73 months in prison. Trump claimed there was “prosecutorial overreach” in the trial.
Trump pardoned Charles Kushner’s 2-year sentence for convictions including preparing false tax returns, witness retaliation and making false statements to the Federal Election Commission.
The other individuals included in this pardon list were convicted of crimes such as mail fraud, tax fraud and campaign finance violations.
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