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by Camila Acosta, Sports Editor
Former President Donald Trump pardoned seventy-four people and commuted the sentences of seventy within his last days in office. The president’s power to pardon is granted through the constitution, specifically Article Two which states, “... and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.”
In terms of comparison to other former presidents, Trump has not pardoned the most people within his term. Rather, he falls within a range of the lowest granted pardons. However, the controversy of his actions spawn from the context of the crimes of which he pardoned. Along with this, the former president has withheld the pardoning or reevaluating of sentences for several prisoners on death row. During his time in office, Trump received a large plea from the public to reconsider his position up until the sentences were put in action.
Of the seventy-four individuals who received a full pardon hours before the end of the president’s term, some of the most notable names included seven republican representatives, Chris Collins, Duncan D. Hunter, Steve Stockman, Rick Renzi, Robin Hayes, Mark Siljander, and Randall "Duke" Cunningham; Four Blackwater Worldwide contractors, Nicholas Slatten, Paul Slough, Evan Liberty, and Dustin Heard; along with former members and top donors of Trump’s campaign, Steve Bannon and Elliot Broidy.
Collins pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and conspiracy to commit securities fraud. He received a full pardon.
Hunter pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy of converting funds for personal use. He received a full pardon.
Stockman was convicted of twenty-three counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to make false statements to the Federal Election Commission, making false statements to the Federal Election Commision, money laundering, and filing a false tax return. His sentence was commuted after serving two of the total ten years he was given.
Renzi was convicted of 17 felony offenses including but not limited to extortion, bribery, insurance fraud, money laundering, and racketeering.
Hayes was charged with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, bribery and three counts of making false statements to federal authorities. He was issued a full pardon.
Silljander pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and posing as an unregistered foreign agent in federal court. He received a full pardon.
Cunningham pleaded guilty to federal charges of tax evasion, conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud and wire fraud. He received a full pardon.
Slatten, Slough, Liberty, and Heard were all found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, attempted manslaughter, and other charges in the killing of 14 Iraqi civilians, including two boys aged nine and eleven. Slatten was found guilty of one count of first degree murder. The other three were found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, attempted manslaughter, and firearms offense. They all received a full pardon.
“Having spent many hours with the innocent Iraqi victims who are permanently maimed and crippled because of the actions of these Blackwater guards, and the heartbroken family members of those killed, I am embarrassed for our country,” retired F.BI. case agent John M. Patarini said. “I believe we will pay a heavy price in our relationships with other countries as a result of these pardons.”
This case has brought attention on an international scale, making it notably one of the most important pardons.
Bannon was added to the list of pardons fairly last minute. The former Chief Strategist and longtime Trump ally was accused of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, has not been formally tried. FHs pardoning was said to be one of major discussion between the former president and his cabinet which led to the last minute decision.
Broidy, a former top fundraiser for Trump, pleaded guilty to a foreign lobbying case involving Chinese and Malaysian interests and the Trump campaign. He received a full pardon.
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