Latest news with #pardon
New York Times
5 minutes ago
- Business
- New York Times
Quote of the Day: Pardons Prop Up Crimes of a Certain Collar
'Of course, stealing by fraud is still stealing. It's just that this is the way rich people do it.' BARBARA L. MCQUADE, a U.S. attorney in Michigan during the Obama administration, on how President Trump's pardons of white-collar criminals could normalize nonviolent offenses.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Savannah Chrisley addresses wild claim she 'slept with someone' to get parents Todd and Julie out of jail
Savannah Chrisley has responded to claims that she 'slept' with someone with power to get het parents Todd and Julie pardoned by President Donald Trump this week. During a press conference in Nashville, Tennessee on Friday, the reality television personality, 27, slammed critics and defended her persistent efforts to free her mom and dad. 'Obviously the biggest misconception right now is that I either paid for a pardon or slept for a pardon,' she said to a hoard of media outlets. 'That's the biggest misconception right now, and if people knew the countless hours and the money and the time that I spent going to D.C., literally with not a meeting scheduled, and I just got on a plane and went and said, "I'm going to be in the right room at the right time and meet the right people..."' she added. Chrisley emphasized, 'I fought hard, and I was exhausted, and I begged for meetings. I was never too good to ask.' The Unlocked with Savannah podcaster stressed, 'That's the thing, is people think, "Oh, you're a celebrity, you're white, you have money," that we got an upper hand, and we didn't.' She reiterated, 'I had to fight, and I was relentless, and that's how it happened.' Todd, 56, who had been serving time for bank fraud and tax evasion before his release, also spoke out during the conference. He admitted to being unsure if fame played a part in his and his wife's pardon. 'That's not something that you can look at and say, "Well, that had nothing to do with it,"' he said candidly. During the meeting with media he also praised Savannah's tireless campaign to free her parents. 'Watching it all unfold, and listening to what she said, what was coming up next, and and just being consumed with pride while at the same time knowing that this is a long shot — because so many people are told no — and being in that, being in the prison system, anyone that says that it's a fair shake, it's not,' the former Chrisley Knows Best star explained. Reflecting on his time behind bars, he added, 'I dealt with young African-American males in the prison that I was in that were not treated the same. They were not. 'They were denied programming. They were denied access to certain things I was not denied.' During his appearance, Todd was asked by journalists whether he feels any remorse over his conviction, to which he firmly hit back. 'I would have remorse if it was something that I did,' he said. 'The corruption that went on in our case is going to continue to unfold.' Former USA Network stars Todd and Julie were both convicted in 2022 for orchestrating a $30 million bank fraud and tax evasion scheme and had been serving multi-year prison terms. Julie was sentenced to serve in Kentucky until 2028 and Todd in Florida until 2032. But on Tuesday, President Trump personally called their daughter to inform her of his bombshell decision to grant the couple clemency. Also during the high-profile press conference, the Chrisleys revealed that they already have a new reality television series in the works. Todd said he and his wife 'started filming literally the night that we got home' for a forthcoming Lifetime program. Savannah added: 'I think with this new series, you will see the first time he and mom see each other [after their respective prison releases].' Before her parents were pardoned, Savannah and her siblings had been filming a series detailing how they were coping while their parents were detained. She said: 'We obviously... we had been filming, and we had just wrapped filming for all intents and purposes and then we get the call that they had been pardoned, so we picked right back up. 'And we're excited because I think this new show is going to give... first off, it's gonna give people a look into the trial and things that we went through and we're gonna set the record straight, put some documents out there.'
Reuters
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Trump: No requests to pardon Sean 'Diddy' Combs, but will look at the facts
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, May 30 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Friday that no one has asked him to pardon Sean "Diddy" Combs but that he would look at the facts of the hip-hop mogul's case. Trump's comments at a White House news conference came as Combs attended the 13th day of testimony in the rapper's criminal sex trafficking trial. The Bad Boy Records founder has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. During a press conference at the White House, Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked Trump whether he would consider pardoning Combs, noting that the businessman-turned-politician said during a 2012 episode of his "Celebrity Apprentice" reality show that he was friends with the rapper. "Nobody's asked. You had to be the one to ask, Peter," Trump said. "I think some people have been very close to asking. First of all, I'd look at what's happening, and I haven't been watching it too closely although it's certainly getting a lot of coverage." Since taking office on January 20, Trump has made extensive use of his power to pardon or commute the sentences of people accused of or convicted of federal crimes - a break with tradition as presidents normally wait until near the end of their terms before granting clemency. Trump, a Republican, said he had not seen or spoken to Combs in years. Combs could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Also known throughout his career as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, Combs is known for turning artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige into stars. In the process, he elevated hip-hop in American culture and became a billionaire. The criminal charges filed last September, as well as dozens of civil lawsuits accusing Combs of sexual abuse, have left his reputation in tatters. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan say Combs over two decades coerced women to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances known as "Freak Offs" with male sex workers. Two women have testified that Combs had raped them. Combs' lawyers have acknowledged that he was at times abusive in romantic relationships, but argued that the women who took part in "Freak Offs" did so consensually.
Washington Post
7 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Trump is pardoning lots of business, tax crimes
Politics Trump is pardoning lots of business, tax crimes May 30, 2025 | 8:26 PM GMT The Sidebar panel breaks down President Donald Trump's flurry of pardons and compares them to his predecessors'.
Fox News
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Trump answers whether he would consider a Diddy pardon
Speaking with members of the press on Friday afternoon, President Donald Trump floated the possibility of issuing a presidential pardon to disgraced rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs, saying "it's not a popularity contest" and "I would certainly look at the facts" if asked. In a federal indictment unsealed on Sept. 17, Combs was charged with racketeering conspiracy (RICO); sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution. If found guilty, he faces a minimum of 15 years behind bars or a maximum sentence of life in prison. He has maintained his innocence throughout the ongoing trial in which witnesses have testified to alleged rape, sexual assault, severe physical abuse, forced labor and drug trafficking. In response to a question by Fox News reporter Peter Doocy about his previous friendship with Diddy and whether he would consider a pardon of the former rapper, Trump indicated that he would consider "if I think somebody was mistreated." The president said that so far "nobody's asked" for any such pardon, but noted: "I know people are thinking about it. I know that they're thinking about it. I think people have been very close to asking." "First of all, I'd look at what's happening, and I haven't been watching it too closely, although it's certainly getting a lot of coverage," said Trump. "I haven't seen him. I haven't spoken to him in years," he went on, adding that Diddy "used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics … that relationship busted up." Trump said that though he never had a falling out with Diddy per se, after entering politics, he would "read some little bit nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden." "It's different," he went on. "You become a much different person when you run for politics, and you do what's right. I could do other things, and I'm sure he'd like me, and I'm sure other people would like me, but it wouldn't be as good for our country." "As we said, our country is doing really well because of what we're doing, so it's not a popularity contest, so I don't know, I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated. Whether they like me or don't like me, it wouldn't have any impact on me," Trump concluded.
