Trump pardons Manafort, others
President Donald Trump has pardoned former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law, in the latest wave of clemency to benefit longtime associates and supporters. That brings to nearly 50 the number of people whom Trump in the last two days has granted clemency.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Wednesday pardoned former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Charles Kushner, the father of his son-inlaw, in the latest wave of clemency to benefit longtime 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, but Trump has proven himself determined to use his clemency power not only to reward his allies but to support the causes of convicts championed by his friends.
The pardons of 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 and to come to the aid of associates he feels were wrongly pursued. He has now pardoned four people convicted in that investigation, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn and campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.
Manafort, who led Trump’s campaign during a pivotal 2016 period before being ousted over his ties to Ukraine, had been sentenced 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 campaign and Russia. 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 Trump campaign and Russia colluded to tip the election — he was nonetheless a pivotal figure in the investigation.
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 related to his efforts to buy Both were convicted in the Mueller probe.
Kushner is the father of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and a wealthy real estate executive whopleaded guilty years ago to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles.