Walters ‘extremely grateful’ for Trump’s commutation
WASHINGTON — Las Vegas businessman and gambler Bill Walters expressed gratitude Wednesday after former President Donald Trump granted him a commutation on Trump’s final day in office.
Walters, who was convicted of insider trading in 2017, served 2½ years in prison before he was released to serve the remainder of his five-year sentence at home because of the coronavirus.
“I am thankful to the president and extremely grateful for the longstanding support of friends and family, especially my wife, Susan,” Walters said. “I have tried to lead a life marked by concern for others, and I hope those qualities, along with the government misconduct that led to my wrongful conviction, convinced the White House to grant me clemency.
“I also hope this sends a strong message to law enforcement to refrain from illegal misconduct in pursuing their targets. I look forward to vindication as I pursue my civil damages case in federal court.”
In October, Walters filed a lawsuit in New York federal court accusing federal prosecutors of leaking confidential information about him.
Walters’ attorney, Pierce O’donnell, said Wednesday that “without presidential clemency, this wrong never would have been righted.”
O’donnell said his client is a “devoted philanthropist” and family man who applied for clemency shortly after his sentencing.
He said Nevada leaders, including former U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, former Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons, former Congresswoman Shelley Berkley and Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, signed a letter to the White House requesting clemency.