Donald Trump has granted pardons to numerous individuals implicated in a ‘fake electors’ case from the 2020 election, labeling the situation as a ‘grave national injustice’.
The list of 77 pardoned individuals includes several of Trump’s close associates, such as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and Kenneth Chesebro.
Those who received a ‘full, complete, and unconditional’ pardon were allegedly part of a scheme to establish alternate slates of electors in pivotal states during the election.
The states involved were those that Joe Biden had won, including Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Although Trump was named in the indictment, he has not granted a pardon to himself.
In addition to his close allies, several of Trump’s advisors were also pardoned, including John Eastman, Christina Bobb, and Boris Epshteyn.
The pardoning document released by Trump asserts that these pardons address a ‘grave national injustice’.
“This proclamation ends a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people following the 2020 Presidential Election and continues the process of national reconciliation,” he stated.
In the indictment, Trump was referred to as ‘Unindicted Coconspirator 1’.
“In Arizona and the United States, the people elected Joseph Biden as President on November 3, 2020,” the indictment specified. “Unwilling to accept this fact, Defendants and unindicted coconspirators schemed to prevent the lawful transfer of the presidency to keep Unindicted Coconspirator 1 in office against the will of Arizona’s voters.”
The pardoning document explicitly states that Trump is excluded from those receiving pardons.
The document states: “This pardon does not apply to the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.”
The alleged conspiracy aimed at overturning the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election, which resulted in Joe Biden defeating Donald Trump as he sought a second term.
Despite the outcome, many Trump supporters claim he won the 2020 election. If this were accurate, which it is not, he would not be eligible to run again in 2024.
Trump’s 2020 defeat led to riots at the US Capitol on January 6, with MAGA supporters breaching the building and entering chambers and the offices of senior Democratic Party leaders.
In 2024, Trump was elected for a second term in the White House after defeating Kamala Harris.