Trump pardons 15 including 2 ensnared in Russia probe
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday pardoned 15 people, including Republican allies, a 2016 campaign official ensnared in the Russia probe and former government contractors convicted in a 2007 massacre in Baghdad.
Trump also commuted the sentences of five people. While it is not unusual for presidents to grant clemency on their way out the door, Trump has made clear that he has no qualms about intervening in the cases of friends and allies whom he believes have been treated unfairly. Despite speculation, though, not on the list were members of Trump’s own family, his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and the president himself.
The pardons included former Republican Reps. Duncan Hunter of California and Chris Collins of New York. Trump commuted the sentence of former Rep. Steve Stockman of Texas.
Collins, the first member of Congress to endorse Trump to be president, was sentenced to 26 months in federal prison after admitting he helped his son and others dodge $800,000 in stock market losses when Last month, Trump he learned that a drug trial pardoned former national by a small pharmaceutical security adviser Michael company had failed. Flynn, who had twice
Hunter was sentenced pleaded guilty to lying to to 11 months in prison after the FBI, and months earlier pleading guilty to stealing commuted the sentence of campaign funds and spendanother associate, Roger ing the money on everything Stone, days before he was to from outings with friends report to prison. to his daughter’s birthday In the group announced party. Tuesday night were four
Trump also announced former government contracpardons for allies ensnared tors convicted in a 2007 in the Russia investigation. massacre in Baghdad that Onewasfor George Papadoleft more a dozen Iraqi civilpoulos, his 2016 campaign ians dead and caused an adviser whose conversation international uproar over the unwittingly helped trigger use of private security guards the Russia investigation that in a war zone. shadowed Trump’s presiSupporters of Nicholas dency for nearly two years. Slatten, Paul Slough, Evan He also pardoned Alex van Liberty and Dustin Heard, der Zwaan, a Dutch lawyer the former contractors at who was sentenced to 30 Blackwater Worldwide, had days in prison for lying to lobbied for pardons, arguing investigators during special that the menhadbeenexcescounsel Robert Mueller’s sively punished in an investiinvestigation. gation and prosecution they
Van der Zwaan and Papasaid was tainted by problems dopoulos are the third and and withheld exculpatory fourth Russia investigation evidence. All four were servdefendants granted cleming lengthy prison sentences. ency. By pardoning them, The pardons reflected Trump once again took Trump’s apparent willingaim at Mueller’s probe and ness to give the benefit of pushed a broader effort to doubt to American serviceundo the results of the invesmembers and contractors tigation that yielded criminal when it comes to acts of charges against a half-dozen violence in warzones against associates. civilians.