Trump grants clemency for 143 people in last act as president News
© WikiMedia (White House)
Trump grants clemency for 143 people in last act as president

Outgoing US President Donald Trump granted clemency to 143 people in his last act as president on Tuesday. Beneficiaries include GOP fundraisers Steve Bannon and Elliott Broidy and several allies of the Trump family as well as rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black.

Bannon, a former Trump campaign strategist, was facing prosecution for defrauding donors who contributed to a “We Build the Wall” fundraising scheme. Broidy, another Trump fundraiser, was charged with violating lobbying laws for his role in a scheme to influence the Trump administration.

Several Trump family allies also received pardons. Kenneth Kurson, former editor of a newspaper previously owned by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, was pardoned for cyberstalking related to his 2015 divorce. The ex-husband of Jeanine Pirro, Fox News personality and vocal Trump supporter, received a pardon for his tax evasion conviction from 2000. His clemency was announced after the full list had been released, less than an hour before Biden’s inauguration.

Rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, both facing federal weapons charges, were also pardoned on Tuesday. Lil Wayne posted on social media with Trump in October, lauding his criminal justice reform efforts.

Trump defied rumors that he would pardon his children and Rudy Giuliani. He also did not pardon himself ahead of his second impeachment trial pending in the Senate.

This wave of pardons comes shortly after Trump granted clemency to allies in late December. Those pardons included former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, GOP strategist Roger Stone and three former Republican lawmakers.