Trump's pardon czar says Todd and Julie Chrisley were victims of a weaponized justice system
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By Taylor Penley
Published May 29, 2025
President Donald Trump's pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson explained the rationale for pardoning reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley on Thursday, insisting the duo were victims of a weaponized justice system.
"They were overly sentenced. They both received a combined sentence of 19 years for a first-time nonviolent offense and, if you look at their case and how it went down, I'm going to say that, in Georgia, it was truly weaponized. They called them the Trumps of Georgia," she told "Fox & Friends" co-host Brian Kilmeade.
Without going into detail, Johnson said some aspects of the Chrisleys' case were "horrific."
CHRISLEY CHILDREN CELEBRATE TRUMP'S PLAN TO PARDON REALITY TV PARENTS IN FRAUD, TAX EVASION CASE
"Looking at them, they don't pose a risk to society. In fact, I know that they're going to use their voices and their platform to uplift the president's agenda," she added.
Todd and Julie rose to fame on the USA Network show "Chrisley Knows Best," which ran for 10 seasons from 2014 to 2023.
A jury found the couple guilty of eight counts of financial fraud and two counts of tax evasion in 2022. Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison while Julie was sentenced to seven.
Todd walked out of a federal prison in Pensacola, Florida on Wednesday evening, after serving two and a half years, according to his lawyer Alex Little's office. The release came shortly after Trump signed pardons for the couple.
CHRISLEYS' ATTORNEY CALLS TRUMP PARDON 'INCREDIBLY POWERFUL' AS COUPLE PREPARES FOR FREEDOM
Little's office also confirmed to Fox News Digital that Julie was released from the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, on Wednesday night, shortly after her husband was released.
Johnson, who was appointed to the "pardon czar" role in February, told Kilmeade she largely looks at "rehabilitation" when she considers making a pardon recommendation to the president.
"Have they rehabilitated? Have they… not only admitted, but are they remorseful for what they've done?" she said.
"I look at what the staff says about them… and do they pose a safety risk to the community? That's one of the big things, because we don't want to release someone that would pose a risk to the community."
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She also strives to find people who have a good plan to re-enter into society.
Trump has signed several high-profile pardons and commutations in recent days, including the Chrisleys, rapper "NBA YoungBoy" and former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland.
Fox News Digital's Janelle Ash, Christina Dugan Ramirez and Larry Fink contributed to this report. Print Close
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https://www.foxnews.com/media/trumps-pardon-czar-says-todd-julie-chrisley-were-victims-weaponized-justice-system
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