Washington, December 23 (China News Service) -- US President Trump signed a decree on the 22nd to pardon 15 people and reduce or exempt 5 others from their sentences.
Infographic: US President Donald Trump.
The pardon list includes two former Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter and Chris Collins. They were the earliest supporters of Trump's 2016 campaign. Hunter was sentenced to 11 months in prison for misusing campaign funds. Collins was sentenced to 26 months in prison for conspiring to commit securities fraud.
White House press secretary McNani said in a statement that the pardon for Hunter and Collins was granted at the "request of a large number of members of Congress."
Under the U.S. Constitution, the president has the power to pardon individuals who violate federal law. Based on the U.S. federal system, a person convicted in a state court cannot be pardoned.
Trump also pardoned george Papadopoulos, a diplomatic adviser to his 2016 campaign, and lawyer Alex van der Zwaan on the same day. Both were implicated in charges that included making false statements in the investigation of "Russiagate" special prosecutor Miller.
The White House statement said, "Today's pardon helps correct the mistakes that the Miller team imposed on so many people." ”
So far, 4 individuals convicted of the "Russiagate" investigation have received Trump's pardon or commutation of sentences. Trump pardoned Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser who gave perjury in a Russia-related investigation, before Thanksgiving this year. In July, Former Trump political adviser Roger Stone was sentenced to a reduced sentence to avoid serving his sentence.
Schiff, Democrat and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, issued a statement accusing Trump of abusing the president's pardon power to shield political allies.
The original intention of the United States to grant the president's pardon power was to balance the three powers to weaken the influence of excessively harsh or improper judicial sentencing. Historically, it is not uncommon for U.S. presidents to pardon political allies. One of the most controversial is the fact that former President Ford took office in 1974 to pardon Nixon, who resigned because of Watergate.
According to the process, the White House and the U.S. Department of Justice will consider the amnesty applications received in advance and then recommend the pardon list to the president. According to the Associated Press, Trump approved only 27 pardon applications before the 22nd. Former President Barack Obama pardoned 212 people, and former President George W. Bush pardoned 189 people during his presidency. (End)
Source: China News Network