Latest news with #ProudBoys
Russia Today
2 days ago
- General
- Russia Today
US-born Ukrainian military trans spokesperson sentenced in Russia
An American transgender woman who was dismissed from the Ukrainian military after issuing death threats to journalists has been sentenced in absentia in Russia for acting as a mercenary. The Prosecutor General's Office in Moscow announced on Monday that Sarah Ashton-Cirillo was convicted by a court in the Donetsk People's Republic. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison for taking part in combat roles with the Ukrainian military and for making defamatory statements against the Russian military on behalf of Kiev in 2023. Ashton-Cirillo, who transitioned in 2019, gained public attention in 2021 after claiming to have infiltrated the far-right Proud Boys group by posing as a sympathizer. In 2023, she was appointed as an English-language spokesperson for Ukraine's territorial defense forces, producing anti-Russian videos in her new role. She was suspended in September of that year after declaring that 'Kremlin propagandists' would soon be 'hunted down.' Her comments sparked backlash in the US, prompting then-Senator J.D. Vance to contact the Department of State, the Pentagon, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and question whether Ashton-Cirillo was acting on behalf of the US government. 'I've seen claims this individual is an American, a former intelligence operative in the United States, and an employee of the Ukrainian government,' Vance, now the vice president under US President Donald Trump, wrote. 'Others have argued Ashton-Cirillo is pulling an elaborate prank. If so, kudos for the delivery of high quality humor.' Ashton-Cirillo referenced the controversy during the 2024 US presidential race, when she mentioned viral online rumors disparaging Vance and mockingly offered her sympathies. 'I support you during this time of confusion and during this time of really weird behavior,' she said. 'I have served a lot more at the line of contact here in Ukraine than you ever did in Iraq. And that's fine. Some of us are infantry. Some of us are press officers.' Trump's reelection campaign centered on criticism of the administration of former President Joe Biden. He blasted its policy of sending aid to Kiev and promoting transgender rights, including allowing trans women to compete in women's sports and mandating diversity-based hiring in government. Since returning to office, Trump has moved to reverse many of these policies.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says she is 'disappointed' that Trump is considering a pardon for men who plotted to kidnap her
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday said that she's "very disappointed" that President Donald Trump is considering pardoning the men who were convicted of conspiring to kidnap her in 2020. The governor told NBC affiliate WOOD-TV that she's "very disappointed that they are even considering it, frankly." During an Oval Office event on Wednesday, Trump said he would "take a look at" pardoning the men. He added that he watched the trial and it "looked to me like somewhat of a railroad job." Two key players in the kidnapping plot — Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. — are serving long prison sentences on federal charges. Over a dozen men were originally charged in either state or federal courts in connection with the scheme. At the time, Whitmer said Trump was "complicit" in enabling extremism after comments he made about the Proud Boys during his 2020 presidential debate against Joe Biden. In her comments Thursday, Whitmer, a Democrat, pointed to her response to the attempted assassination of Trump at a July 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. "You know, when the president was shot at in Pennsylvania, I was one of the first people on either side of the aisle to condemn it," Whitmer said Wednesday ahead of the Mackinac Policy Conference in Michigan. "We have to condemn political violence, no matter where it comes from, no matter who it's aimed at. It does a disservice to everyone if we do anything short of that." The governor added, "I'll be making my thoughts known to the White House and I hope they take it into consideration." A spokesperson for Whitmer declined on Thursday to comment further about Trump's remarks. The White House declined to comment for the story. The Michigan governor has faced criticism from fellow Democrats in recent weeks for meeting with Trump several times this year. In March and April, Whitmer met with Trump privately at the White House. But during the April meeting, Whitmer also stood in the Oval Office while Trump signed multiple executive orders targeting his political opponents. Whitmer was photographed in a now-viral image holding a binder over her face during the executive order signing. Later, her office clarified in a statement that Whitmer's "presence is not an endorsement of the actions taken or statements made at that event.' Later in April, Trump visited Michigan to announce a new series of fighter jets for the Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan, partially crediting Whitmer for bringing new resources to the base and even bringing her on stage at a rally in Warren, Michigan. Despite heightened scrutiny of her seemingly close relationship with the president, Whitmer has generally defended her decision to work with anyone, regardless of party, to get things done for her state. Early Thursday morning, Fight Like Hell — a super PAC affiliated with Whitmer — distributed internal polling that they said showed that the governor is receiving "strong marks" from Michiganders across the political spectrum for her work. 'Michiganders know when their leaders are putting in the work, putting service above self, and getting hard things done, especially when it comes to their pocketbooks. Governor Whitmer has never stopped focusing on bringing good-paying jobs and economic growth to Michigan, and she's never stopped bringing people together from across the political spectrum to get results. That's the leadership Michiganders want, and that's what Governor Whitmer has always done," Amanda Stitt, executive director of the PAC, said in a statement on Thursday released alongside the polling. This article was originally published on
NBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says she is 'disappointed' that Trump is considering a pardon for men who plotted to kidnap her
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday said that she's "very disappointed" that President Donald Trump is considering pardoning the men who were convicted of conspiring to kidnap her in 2020. The governor told NBC affiliate WOOD-TV on Thursday that she's "very disappointed that they are even considering it, frankly." During an Oval Office event on Wednesday, Trump said he would "take a look at" pardoning the men. He added that he watched the trial and it "looked to me like somewhat of a railroad job." Two key players in the kidnapping plot — Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. — are serving long prison sentences on federal charges. Over a dozen men were originally charged in either state or federal courts in connection with the scheme. At the time, Whitmer said Trump was "complicit" in enabling extremism after comments he made about the Proud Boys during his 2020 presidential debate against Joe Biden. In her comments Thursday, Whitmer, a Democrat, pointed to her response to the attempted assassination of Trump at a July 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. "You know, when the president was shot at in Pennsylvania, I was one of the first people on either side of the aisle to condemn it," Whitmer said Wednesday ahead of the Mackinac Policy Conference in Michigan. "We have to condemn political violence, no matter where it comes from, no matter who it's aimed at. It does a disservice to everyone if we do anything short of that." The governor added, "I'll be making my thoughts known to the White House and I hope they take it into consideration." A spokesperson for Whitmer declined on Thursday to comment further about Trump's remarks. The White House declined to comment for the story. The Michigan governor has faced criticism from fellow Democrats in recent weeks for meeting with Trump several times this year. In March and April, Whitmer met with Trump privately at the White House. But during the April meeting, Whitmer also stood in the Oval Office while Trump signed multiple executive orders targeting his political opponents. Whitmer was photographed in a now-viral image holding a binder over her face during the executive order signing. Later, her office clarified in a statement that Whitmer's "presence is not an endorsement of the actions taken or statements made at that event.' Later in April, Trump visited Michigan to announce a new series of fighter jets at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan, partially crediting Whitmer for bringing new resources to the base and even bringing her on stage at a rally in Warren, Michigan. Despite heightened scrutiny of her seemingly close relationship with the president, Whitmer has generally defended her decision to work with anyone, regardless of party, to get things done for her state. Early Thursday morning, Fight Like Hell — a super PAC affiliated with Whitmer — distributed internal polling that they said showed that the governor is receiving "strong marks" from Michiganders across the political spectrum for her work. 'Michiganders know when their leaders are putting in the work, putting service above self, and getting hard things done, especially when it comes to their pocketbooks. Governor Whitmer has never stopped focusing on bringing good-paying jobs and economic growth to Michigan, and she's never stopped bringing people together from across the political spectrum to get results. That's the leadership Michiganders want, and that's what Governor Whitmer has always done," Amanda Stitt, executive director of the PAC, said in a statement on Thursday released alongside the polling.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump pardons: Todd and Julie Chrisley, health care tax cheat, Jan. 6 rioters
President Donald Trump said he is pardoning reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley of "Chrisley Knows Best." In a May 27 call to daughter Savannah Chrisley, Trump said the duo, convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud community banks, defraud the IRS and commit tax evasion, would be "free and clean." A video of the interaction was posted to X. Savannah Chrisley endorsed Trump at the Republican National Convention in July 2024, claiming both her parents and Trump faced a "two-faced justice system." The Chrisleys will join more than 40 other people who have been granted clemency by the president in his second administration, in addition to more than 1,500 people charged in relation to the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol who also received clemency. Here is what to know: Can Trump pardon Derek Chauvin? Gov. Tim Walz reportedly said Minneapolis should prepare A pardon is an expression of forgiveness that eases the consequences of a criminal conviction, according to the DOJ. A pardon and a commutation of a sentence are both ways for the president to grant leniency to someone who has committed a federal crime. Both are known as clemency. A pardon often implies that the convicted person has taken responsibility for their actions and is forgiven by the president. It can restore some civil abilities that would otherwise be barred due to the criminal conviction, according to the DOJ. In addition to those convicted in the Jan. 6 riots, Trump has granted clemency, including pardons and sentence commutations, to 44 people before the Chrisleys. In his first term, he granted 238 clemency acts, according to Pew Research Center, which also found former President Joe Biden had granted more clemency acts than any other president on record with 4,245 acts. Some recent Trump pardons that made headlines include: Paul Walczak - the son of a wealthy Republican donor who was convicted of tax evasion for siphoning more than $10.9 million in payroll taxes from the paychecks of doctors and nurses. He had been sentenced to 18 months in prison. Michele Fiore, a former Las Vegas City Councilwoman who was convicted of federal charity fraud after misusing donations for a planned police memorial. She had not been sentenced when she was pardoned. Scott Jenkins, a former Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery in what prosecutors called a "cash-for-badges scheme.' He was set to start a 10-year prison sentence on May 27, 2025. More than 140 people with Florida connections were charged in the Capitol riots and subsequently pardoned. Some of the Florida people involved who received the harshest punishment also had their sentences commuted, including: Enrique Torres of Miami, the national chairman of the Proud Boys who had the longest conviction of any Jan. 6 defendant at 22 years Joseph Biggs of Ormond Beach, also a leader of the Proud Boys in Volusia County, was convicted of seditious conspiracy; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of an official proceeding; conspiracy to use force, intimidation or threats to prevent officers of the United States from discharging their duties; interference with law enforcement during a civil disorder; and destruction of government property. He had been sentenced to 17 years in prison. Kenneth Harrelson of Titusville, associated with the Oath Keepers, was found guilty of obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging duties, and tampering with documents or proceedings, and had been sentenced to four years in prison and two years supervised release. Kelly Meggs of Dunnellon, part of the Oath Keepers, was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging duties, and tampering with documents or proceedings. He had been sentenced to 12 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. David Moerschel of Punta Gorda, also associated with the Oath Keepers, was found guilty of seditious conspiracy among other charges. He had been sentenced to three years in prison and 3 years of supervised release. Joseph Hackett of Sarasota, also associated with the Oath Keepers, was found guilty by a jury of seditious conspiracy, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of an official proceeding; and conspiracy to prevent members of Congress from discharging their official duties; and destruction of evidence He had been sentenced to 42 months in prison and three years supervised release. Contributing: Jeffrey Meehan, Reno Gazette Journal; Hannah Phillips, Palm Beach Post; Bart Jansen, KiMi Robinson, Jay Stahl, USA TODAY; C.A. Bridges, USA TODAY Network Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@ Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @ This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Who has Trump pardoned in Florida? Info about Todd and Julie Chrisley
Axios
6 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Trump pardons criminals with MAGA credentials or big money
Two reality stars, a MAGA-aligned sheriff and a former nursing home executive with a well-connected mother recently joined the list of President Trump 's clemency recipients. The big picture: Though early in his second term, Trump's pardons mark a continuation of his first-term trend of granting clemency to political loyalists. He's not the first president to pardon political allies, but his clemency actions signal strong messages about his priorities. His second-term clemency actions started with a controversial avalanche of pardons for Jan. 6 rioters and commutations for members of extremist groups the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. Since then, several loyalists and wealthy allies have received relief for white-collar crimes. Driving the news: Trump said on Tuesday he plans to pardon reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley who were convicted of tax evasion and bank fraud in 2022. Savannah Chrisley, who has been advocating for her imprisoned parents' release, filmed an episode of "My View with Lara Trump" with the president's daughter-in-law that aired earlier this month, and spoke at the Republican National Convention last summer. Zoom out: Trump in April also pardoned Paul Walczak, a former nursing home executive who was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $4 million in restitution for tax crimes. Walczak's pardon has received particular scrutiny because of the political activity of his mother, Elizabeth Fago, a GOP donor who recently attended a $1-million-per-person fundraising dinner at Mar-a-Lago, the New York Times reported. And on Tuesday, Trump issued a pardon for a former Virginia sheriff, Scott Jenkins, whom a jury convicted on federal fraud and bribery charges last year. Trump wrote on Truth Social that Jenkins and his family had "been dragged through HELL by a Corrupt and Weaponized Biden DOJ" — a statement reminiscent of his own contention that the cases against him were politically motivated by a " weaponized" Justice Department. In his sentencing memorandum, Jenkins' attorneys wrote that he "adamantly maintains his innocence." Ed Martin, who Trump originally nominated to be D.C.'s top prosecutor but is now serving as Trump's pardon attorney, posted in a thread about Jenkins' pardon, "No MAGA left behind." Friction point: Martin's comment sends the message that the pardon power is being "totally and thoroughly politicized" Liz Oyer, the former DOJ pardon attorney, told PBS. The White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment. What they're saying: "One thing that is easy to see is, setting aside the January 6 clemencies, that there's really been a focus on grants to people who committed financial crimes," said Mark Osler, a law professor at the University of St. Thomas and a former federal prosecutor. Clemency trends within administrations are not uncommon, he noted, pointing to former President Obama's focus on clemency for drug-related charges. "But one thing that we do see is that this president uses clemency for message sending about policing, about the previous administration, about financial crimes, and that's message-sending in a way that is probably stronger than we've seen with previous presidents," he said. Flashback: During Trump's first term, he gave clemency to several allies, including former chief strategist Steve Bannon, former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Charles Kushner, the father of Trump's son-in-law and current U.S. ambassador to France. What we're watching: Trump has already signed dozens of pardons and commutations since taking office — on top of the 1,500-plus Jan. 6 defendants — which is toward the high end at the start of a presidency in recent decades. Catch up quick: Alice Marie Johnson, who was pardoned by Trump after having her life sentence for a nonviolent drug offense commuted under his first term, was appointed"pardon czar" in Trump's second White House. "I think that what a lot of people hope is that Alice Johnson, who received one of those worthwhile pardons in the first Trump administration, will be a forceful voice for everybody else — that is those who don't have access to the president at parties and other events," Osler said. He added, "I just have to hope that within the White House, there's someone who will be the advocate for those people, the ones who are not wealthy, but who really changed their lives."
