Trump pardons Manafort, Kushner’s father and Stone
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesdaypardonedformer campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Charles Kushner, the father of his son-inlaw, in the latest wave of clemencytobenefitlongtime associates and supporters.
The actions, in Trump’s final weeks at the White House, bring to nearly 50 the number of people whom the president in the last two days has granted clemency. Pardons are common in the final stretch of a president’s tenure, butTrumphasproven himself determined to use his clemency power not only to reward his allies but to support the causes of convicts championed by his friends. Thepardonsof Manafort and Roger Stone, who months earlier had his sentence commuted by Trump, underscore the president’s desire to chip away at the results of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation andtocome to the aid of associates he feels were wrongly pursued. He has now pardoned four peopleconvictedinthatinvestigation, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn and campaign adviser GeorgePapadopoulos, whopleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.
Manafort, who l ed Trump’s campaign during a pivotal 2016 period before being ousted over his ties to Ukraine, hadbeensentenced to more than seven years in prison for financial crimes related to his work in Ukraine. He was among the first people charged as part of Mueller’s investigation into ties between the Trump campaignandRussia. Hewas released to home confinement last May because of coronavirus concerns in the federal prison system.
Thoughthechargesagainst Manafort did not concern the central thrust of Mueller’s mandate —whether the Trumpcampaign and Russia colluded to tip the election — he was nonetheless a pivotal figure in the investigation. His close relationship to a manU.S. officials have linked to Russian intelligence, and with whom he shared internal campaign polling data, attracted particular scrutiny during the investigation, though Mueller never chargedanyTrumpassociate with conspiring with Russia.
Manafort, in a tweet, thanked Trumpandlavished praise on the outgoing president, declaring that history would show he had accomplished more than any of his predecessors.
Trump did not pardon Manafort’s deputy, Rick Gates, who was sentenced last year to 45 days in prison but extensively cooperated with prosecutors, or former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to campaign finance crimes.
Kushner is the father of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and a wealthy real estate executive whopleaded guilty years agototaxevasion and making illegal campaign donations.