Trump Appoints ‘Pardon Czar’ at Black History Month Event
by James Mills
President Donald J. Trump recently announced the appointment of Alice Johnson, a formerly incarcerated woman whose sentence he had commuted, as his senior adviser on pardons, a role he dubbed “pardon czar.” The announcement was made during a Black History Month reception at the White House, held about a month into his second term.
The event served as an opportunity for the president to address African American constituents and highlight his administration’s values and accomplishments. Among the attendees were golf champion Tiger Woods, Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Representative John James (R-Mich.), and the recently confirmed Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner.
“We pay tribute to the generations of Black legends, champions, warriors, and patriots who helped drive our country forward to greatness,” Trump said during the reception.
Addressing Johnson, the president remarked, “You’ve been an inspiration to people, and we’re going to be listening to your recommendations on pardons.” He expressed confidence that she could “find people just like you” deserving of clemency.
The appointment of a former prisoner to a presidential advisory role is historically unusual. Johnson was convicted in 1996 for her involvement in a Memphis, Tennessee-based cocaine distribution network. In recent years, her case garnered significant public support, including from the American Civil Liberties Union. Trump commuted her life sentence in 2018, shortly after taking office, and she was released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Aliceville, Alabama. As of February 20, she assumed her new role as the administration’s pardon czar.
Sources: msn.com, ca.news.yahoo.com
As a digital subscriber to Criminal Legal News, you can access full text and downloads for this and other premium content.
Already a subscriber? Login
