President Donald Trump has pardoned dozens of allies who were accused of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Pardons apply to former Trump lawyer and New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, former chief of staff Mark Meadows, and Trump ally Sidney Powell.
U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin announced Sunday night that Trump signed a proclamation granting pardons “to all United States citizens for conduct relating to the advice, creation, organization, execution, submission, support, voting, activities, participation in, or advocacy for or of any slate or proposed slate of Presidential electors, whether or not recognized by any State or State official, in connection with the 2020 Presidential Election, as well for any conduct relating to their efforts to expose voting fraud and vulnerabilities in the 2020 Presidential Election.”
The proclamation, which names 77 people, specifically clarifies that Trump is not pardoned by this action.
Martin posted the proclamation as a reply to a May 26 post that read, “No MAGA left behind.”
“This proclamation ends a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people following the 2020 Presidential Election and continues the process of national reconciliation,” the document says.
The pardons are largely symbolic because they would only apply in federal court. None of the individuals named are currently facing federal charges. The pardons will not protect them from ongoing state-level prosecutions.
Office of Management and Budget official Jeff Clark thanked Trump for the pardon. He said Trump called him Friday night to inform him, though he never requested a pardon.
“I did nothing wrong when I questioned the 2020 election in Georgia, including by drafting an unsent privileged letter urging Georgia officials to launch their own investigations and then decide for themselves how to proceed,” he said. “I shouldn’t have had to battle this witch hunt for 4+ years. Trump’s group pardon applies to me and others, aiming to end the lawfare.”
