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Trump hands 26 pardons, including one to son-in-law Jared Kushner’s father

Others include former campaign ally Paul Manafort and Republican Roger Stone

US-Trump [File] United States President Donald Trump | AP

US President Donald Trump issued another long list of pardons on Wednesday, with 26 people being pardoned including former campaign ally Paul Manafort, Republican Roger Stone and Jared Kushner’s father, Charles Kushner, a real estate magnate. 

Manafort was prosecuted by Robert Mueller’s team as part of the investigation on Russia’s involvement in the 2016 US presidential elections. However, he had been convicted for bank and tax fraud. These charges were related to his work in Ukraine. Manafort was released from prison in May because of fears that he could contract the coronavirus.

Roger Stone, a Republican, is known to be a long-time friend and adviser to Trump. Stone, in November 2019, was convicted of lying under oath to the Congress about his attempts to know beforehand about leaked emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager and the Democratic National Committee during the 2016 campaign by Russians.

Charles Kushner was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion, witness tampering and making unlawful campaign donations in 2004. With the pardon of those involved in the Russia investigation, it looks like Trump wants to send out the message he has been going on about the entire time of his impeachment, that the investigation is a ‘hoax and a witch hunt.’ In exercising his clemency powers, Trump has moved at a faster pace than any of his predecessors.

On Tuesday, Trump pardoned 15 people, including former campaign aide George Papadopoulos and the four Blackwater guards who shot 14 Iraqi civilians.

In November, he had pardoned former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who was also charged in connection with the Mueller investigations.

The Washington Post has reported that Trump has discussed pardoning Steve Bannon, his former chief strategist, and Rudy Giuliani, his personal lawyer, and will issue dozens more before he leaves office.

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