Trump pardons 77 people linked to 2020 presidential election challenge

Spread the love

President Donald Trump issued a proclamation providing pardons for a slew of people accused of trying to overturn the 2020 presidential elections, including Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows.

The proclamation claims it “ends a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people” following the 2020 election, in which former President Joe Biden ousted Trump.

The president’s pardon grants “full, complete, and unconditional pardons to all United State citizens for conduct relating to the advice, creation, organization, execution, submission, support, voting, activities, participation in, advocacy for or of any slate or proposed slate of Presidential electors, whether or not recognized by and State or State official, in connection with the 2020 Presidential Election, as well for any conduct relating to their efforts to expose voting fraud and vulnerabilities” as part of the election.

The pardon, signed Friday, names 77 people, including Giuliani, Meadows, John Eastman and Sidney Powell. Trump notes that the pardon doesn’t include himself.

Meadows served as the president’s chief of staff during his first administration, while Powell and Eastman served as attorneys for Trump.

To be sure, none of the those pardoned have been charged with federal crimes; however, some have faced charges in states such as Georgia, Wisconsin, Nevada, and Arizona. The pardon doesn’t protect people charged with crimes in those states.

Ed Martin, the U.S. Pardon Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, made the announcement Monday morning.

Martin posted on his personal X account, “No MAGA left behind.”

In a separate post, he explained the reasoning behind the pardons, saying the Biden administration had targeted the people.

“A very little bit behind the curtain: When I began as U.S. Pardon Attorney, POTUS encouraged us to look at two categories of Americans especially: First, those who needed and deserved clemency, especially long serving inmates who are ready to be released. Second, he wanted us to look at those people who had been targeted by the Biden administration. The targeted is a huge group of Americans,” Martin posted on X. “We’ve been working hard to find them and one group that jumped up right away is the [2020] alternate electors and their affiliates who were targeted by Jack Smith and others. Gen. Bondi and DAG Blanche pushed us to do it right and fast. There are many more Americans who Biden targeted. And we’re working to help them.”

On the evening of Trump’s second inauguration in January, the president pardoned about 1,500 individuals accused of being involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Illinois in focus: DHS announces new facility; NFIB urges veto of regulations; minority scholarship lawsuit moves forward

Illinois in focus: DHS announces new facility; NFIB urges veto of regulations; minority scholarship lawsuit moves forward

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square DHS announces new facility U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has returned to Illinois to discuss expanding detention facilities for what...
Abbott to call 'special session after special session' in response to AWOL Dems

Abbott to call ‘special session after special session’ in response to AWOL Dems

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed what many in Austin speculated: he will call special session after special session until bills are passed. Abbott called the current...
WATCH: Illinois In Focus Daily | Friday Aug. 8th, 2025

WATCH: Illinois In Focus Daily | Friday Aug. 8th, 2025

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop covers the latest...
Legislator urges leaders to focus on relief for Illinois’ high property taxes

Legislator urges leaders to focus on relief for Illinois’ high property taxes

By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – With Illinois now being home to the highest property tax rates in the country, state Rep....
Charles-Harlan-1754588106

Charles Dewain Harlan, 73

Charles Dewain Harlan, 73, of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, formerly of Greenup, Illinois, passed away at 5:25 p.m. on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at Greentree Assisted Living in Mt. Vernon. He...
Meeting Briefs

Meeting Briefs: Casey City Council for August 4, 2025

The Casey City Council met Monday to approve its annual spending plan, address blighted properties, and discuss impending utility rate increases driven by inflation and a shrinking customer base. The...
Texas House, Illinois state senator sue 33 AWOL Democrats in Illinois court

Texas House, Illinois state senator sue 33 AWOL Democrats in Illinois court

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Texas House of Representatives has sued 33 House Democrats who absconded to Illinois to prevent...
WATCH: Democrat state redistricting efforts created unfair advantages, lawmaker says

WATCH: Democrat state redistricting efforts created unfair advantages, lawmaker says

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – While Democratic lawmakers from California to New York have threatened to redistrict in response to Texas'...
Illinois quick hits: Fatal helicopter crash; Comptroller orders another extra pension payment

Illinois quick hits: Fatal helicopter crash; Comptroller orders another extra pension payment

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Fatal helicopter crash Two people are dead after a helicopter crashed into a barge on the Mississippi River. The Federal Aviation...
New poll: 50.2% of Illinois voters view Pritzker unfavorably

New poll: 50.2% of Illinois voters view Pritzker unfavorably

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A new poll shows that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s approval rating has flipped negative for the first time....
WATCH: Pritzker welcomes FBI looking for TX Dems in IL, dismisses bribery question

WATCH: Pritzker welcomes FBI looking for TX Dems in IL, dismisses bribery question

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – As the FBI gets involved in locating Texas Democrats hiding out in states like Illinois, Gov. J.B....
WATCH: Illinois State Fair: Affordable fun backed by $140M in taxpayer funding

WATCH: Illinois State Fair: Affordable fun backed by $140M in taxpayer funding

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The 2025 Illinois State Fair is being praised for its affordability and accessibility to families across...
Op-Ed: State lawmakers gut Emmett Till Day bill, expose Illinois’ corruption problem

Op-Ed: State lawmakers gut Emmett Till Day bill, expose Illinois’ corruption problem

By LyLena D. Estabine | Illinois Policy InstituteThe Center Square July 25, 2025, would have marked Illinois’ first Emmett Till Day, a commemoration of the 14-year-old Chicagoan whose 1955 lynching...
Democratic PACs being investigated for bankrolling AWOL Texas House Democrats

Democratic PACs being investigated for bankrolling AWOL Texas House Democrats

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Democratic political action committees are being investigated by state, and potentially federal, authorities over claims they...
Pritzker: Chicago mayor 'never once called' to oppose pension bill

Pritzker: Chicago mayor ‘never once called’ to oppose pension bill

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson never called him to oppose a pension bill...