Trump associates including Giuliani ask for pardons



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The source said the list of associates bringing up the subject of preventive pardons who would seek to protect these individuals from prosecution includes Rudy Giuliani, who has led the president’s long-term legal battles to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. in his role as Trump’s staff. lawyer.

Giuliani denied discussing a preventive pardon with the president, telling CNN that “the (New York) Times is completely wrong.” He further denied having spoken to anyone in the White House about forgiveness for himself.

The New York Times first reported that Giuliani was discussing a pardon with the president.

It is not known what potential criminal exposure Giuliani or other associates are trying to prevent. But the source close to the talks went on to quote what friends and allies of the president see as hostility from the incoming Biden administration towards Trump associates.

“Don’t trust the Democrats,” the source said, describing the requested pardons as “general” protection against future lawsuits.

Nine people in Trump’s orbit, including Flynn and Stone, have been charged or convicted of crimes related to a constellation of alleged criminal conspiracies.

The appeals follow Trump’s decision to pardon his former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Last week, the president granted Flynn full pardon, discharging him of charges related to lying to federal agents about his contacts with the Russian ambassador to the United States.

Flynn’s pardon was Trump’s second act of leniency related to the lawsuits against the president’s advisers. Earlier this summer, Trump commuted Roger Stone’s sentence.

At least one major ally appeals to his instinct for self-preservation, suggesting that self-forgiveness should be delivered.

Fox News host Sean Hannity said on his radio show on Monday that the president should forgive himself and his family to avoid being sued by the new Biden administration.

“The president on the outside has to forgive himself and his whole family,” Hannity said, later adding, “I guess the power of forgiveness is absolute and he should be able to forgive whomever he wants. “

CNN’s Maegan Vazquez contributed to this report.

This story has been updated with additional reports.

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