The timing on this pardon announcement seems … interesting. With the Left about to conduct unending struggle sessions over the collapse of the Schumer Shutdown, what better moment than to clean up what remains of a five-year-old mess?
Earlier today, the White House announced that Donald Trump had formally pardoned everyone involved in the 2020 election challenge, including former Trump attorneys Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell. The collapse of the “Kraken on steroids” had touched off a number of criminal investigations, although few of which were at the federal level. This makes the gesture mainly symbolic:
The list of pardons includes high-profile figures like Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows, lawyers Giuliani and Sidney Powell, as well as dozens of others. An administration official confirmed the news early Monday morning.
A document released by Martin on Monday said the figures would receive a “full, complete and unconditional” pardon.
Giuliani and Powell were pivotal in efforts to pressure legislatures in key states to reject Joe Biden’s victories, while Meadows set up meetings and called Georgia officials asking about alleged election fraud in the state after Trump’s 2020 loss.
None of those identified in the list have been charged with federal crimes, making the pardons a largely symbolic move by the president. The federal pardon wouldn’t affect charges brought by state prosecutors.
While it doesn’t impact the state-level investigations, those are mainly moribund now as well. The collapse of the Fani Willis RICO prosecution over Willis’ personal corruption has that case in what appears to be perpetual limbo. The statute of limitations in Georgia is five years, and while this may or may not apply yet in that case, that deadline is fast approaching for any of the alleged overt acts in Willis’ indictment. Other states have similar limitations, which means that it seems very unlikely that prosecutorial efforts against those pardoned today would commence at any other level — and it’s clear that Trump’s DoJ has other priorities.
That may explain the timing, in one sense. Trump did not hesitate to issue blanket clemency to the January 6 rioters; he issued the pardons before midnight on his first day of office. Why wait for almost a year to pardon his own Kraken On Steroids team? The J6 rioters had already been prosecuted and punished at the federal level, so they needed immediate relief. One does wonder whether Trump and his team worried whether presidential pardons might incentivize hostile blue states to attempt prosecution on state charges in retaliation, and also before the statutes of limitations become too close to foreclose the possibility.
At this point, though, the risk is minimal. The collapse of the Schumer Shutdown also provides a perfect cover for the pardons, while attention is focused — as it should be — on Chuck Schumer’s incompetence. The White House probably would have held off on announcing these pardons until after the elections last week anyway, but the meltdown gives them the opportunity to slide these out a little sotto voce — where the right people will notice, and all others fulminate over the failure of the administration’s opponents.
Trump’s Truth Social feed offers compelling evidence of this strategy … by the absence of evidence. As of 9:45 ET this morning, Trump has not posted a word about these pardons. The announcement through Ed Martin suggests a lower-profile release. It’s a smart strategy by Trump and his team … if they stick with it.
Editor’s Note: After more than 40 days of screwing Americans, a few Dems have finally caved. The Schumer Shutdown was never about principle—just inflicting pain for political points.
They own this.
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