Trump’s latest pardons ridiculed as not ‘actually helping’ the people concerned

US president Donald Trump’s pardons since entering the White House for the second time have not been without controversy and condemnation.

Since January, the Republican has granted clemency to around 1,500 supporters involved in the January 6 insurrection, disgraced former congressman George Santos, and a man he ‘doesn’t know’ (Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Binance).

And now, Trump has come under fire for his decision to pardon a number of people involved in the plot to overturn the result of the 2020 election – specifically by posing as false electors with the aim of replacing duly elected state electors set to vote for Joe Biden in the electoral college.

The 77 pardons were shared by Trump’s pardon attorney Ed Martin on Twitter/X on Monday (November 10).

The proclamation reads: “I, Donald J. Trump, do hereby grant a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to all United States citizens for conduct relating to the advice, creation, organisation, execution, submission, support, voting, activities, participation in, or advocacy for or of any slate or proposed slate of Presidential electors, whether or not recognised by any State or State official, in connection with the 2020 Presidential Election, as well as for any conduct relating to their efforts to expose voting fraud and vulnerabilities in the 2020 Presidential Election.”

And arguably the most recognisable name on this list is that of former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who pushed false claims around voter fraud during the 2020 election.

The move was slammed as “more corrupt BS” by Democratic political commentator Harry Sisson:

While others pointed out that the pardons “[don’t] actually help” the individuals concerned and their charges in the state of Georgia under anti-racketeering laws:

That’s because, per Lawfare journalist Anna Bower, they’ve been charged under state law and pardons cannot be issued by the president for state crimes:

The Georgia case was brought by district attorney Fani Willis back in 2023, but has been sitting dormant for months.

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