Trump - Judge And Jury

President Donald Trump of the United States of America (to give him, his full title) ...

Trump - Judge And Jury

.... has taken the US Justice system to a new place.

 In this new place, if you were a supporter of him, or were supported by his supporters during his Presidential campaigns, then criminal convictions no longer need be a problem, they will simply be granted Presidential pardons. If you were not a supporter, and opposed him, then your fate is is to face his revenge.

So in January 2025, acting Attorney General James McHenry concluded that more than a dozen justice department staff could not "be trusted to faithfully implement the president's agenda because of their significant role in prosecuting the president" and sacked them .... coincidently many had worked on cases against President Trump while he was out of office. They apparently received a letter telling them  that their roles in investigating and prosecuting the president, made them unsuitable to work in the department.

Many were career corruption and national security prosecutors, who had worked across various administrations, and were simply unlucky enough to have been appointed to the cases against Trump, so had no personal animosity towards President Trump .... but that didn't matter, they were discarded. Former US Attorney Joyce Vance said. "Firing prosecutors because of cases they were assigned to work on is just unacceptable. It's anti-rule of law; it's anti-democracy."

The latest of these lucky recipients of his presidential pardons are Todd and Julie Chrisley, a pair convicted of large scale fraud ($36m (£26.6m) in loans) and tax evasion (avoiding paying a $500,000 tax bill) in the State of Georgia. They received 12 and 7 years for the crimes in 2022.

The reason for their pardons, Savannah Chrisley their daughter, was interviewed on Fox TV by Lara Trump, and had previously campaigned for Trump, including a speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where she alleged that her parents had been persecuted by "rogue prosecutors" and that the US has a "two-faced justice system". 

Amazingly, she was billed on the TV show as a 'prison reform advocate' (a title for which her campaign to free her parents apparently qualified her) and made the claim "Both prosecutors were Democrats, they have donated to Democratic candidates." That was apparently enough to get Presidential wheels turning, and Mr President was on the phone personally to Savannah Chrisley, with the words "Your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope we can do that by tomorrow. I don't know them but give them my regards, and wish them a good life."

This follows the pardon of long-time supporter of Trump, the corrupt former elected Culpeper County Sheriff, Scott Jenkins, who in December2024, was convicted of having taken more than $75,000 (£55,000) in bribes, while in office. Due to Trump's pardon, he will not spend a single day behind bars. President Trump said Jenkins was the "victim of an overzealous Biden Department of Justice" and said  Jenkins a "wonderful person" who was persecuted by "Radical Left monsters" and "left for dead".

He had been found guilty by a jury of one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery concerning programmes receiving federal funds. To which President Trump said on the Truth Social network, "Sheriff Scott Jenkins, his wife Patricia, and their family have been dragged through HELL".

Other convicted criminals President Trump has pardoned since returning to office include the January Capitol rioters and Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road (the dark web marketplace where illegal drugs and other illegal items were sold, and murder for hire schemes initiated). He was convicted in 2015 in New York in a narcotics and money-laundering conspiracy and sentenced to life in prison. 

However far right libertarians said the conviction was an example of government overreach. As they were President Trump supporters, he joined them in championing Mr Ulbricht's cause, and said he had called Ulbricht's mother to inform her that he had granted a pardon to her son. 

President Trump said in a post on his Truth Social site; "The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponisation of government against me. He was given two life sentences, plus 40 years. Ridiculous!"

Trump has continued commuting and pardoning more crooks and scallywags this week.

A Presidential pardon represents a legal forgiveness, and ends any further punishment, it also restores public rights such as being able to vote or run for public office. Pardoning jury convicted criminals such as corrupt law enforcement officers, regional supporters and drug deal enablers, sends the US and world, a message about what sort of country the USA is now .... what sort of message that is, I guess depends on whether your a supporter or not.

But there were banana republics that apparently respected jury/court decisions more than the current US President does, and I can't help thinking that some who voted for the Republican candidate must be wondering about where this is heading.