John,
With President Trump’s second night of pardons of people connected to him—this time Paul Manafort, Roger Stone and Charles Kushner—he has made it clear that he believes the purpose of the pardon is to bail out rich white men connected to him. Trump has turned an instrument of mercy and justice into just another way for him to be corrupt.
Read my just-released op-ed in USA Today and share CREW's statement on Facebook, Twitter, or by forwarding this email. These pardons are outrageously corrupt, and we must make it clear how unacceptable they are.
Thank you,
Noah Bookbinder
Executive Director, CREW
----Original Message----
John,
Pardons are traditionally used to try to right injustices, but that couldn’t have been further from the case last night.
President Trump’s just-announced pardons are a shameful, craven display of using the presidency to benefit his cronies—one of the worst examples we’ve seen in a presidency filled with them.
In Duncan Hunter, Chris Collins and Steve Stockman, you have three of the most corrupt Members of Congress in recent history, including the first two members to endorse Trump. They are prime examples of politicians using their positions to benefit themselves rather than look out for their constituents. Add in two people convicted of lying to investigators as part of the Mueller investigation. And top it off with four Blackwater guards convicted of killing Iraqi civilians. Blackwater, of course, was owned by Erik Prince, a major backer of Trump and brother of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
Trump is sending a clear message: no matter how awful your crime was, justice does not apply to you if you are loyal to him.
Read and share CREW’s full statement on Facebook, Twitter, or by forwarding this email. And if you’re fired up and ready to fight so that no future president can ever get away with Trump’s level of corruption, consider making a donation to CREW—all donations are being matched through December 31st.
Thank you,
Noah Bookbinder
Executive Director, CREW
