Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Alice Marie Johnson, who he pardoned during his first term as president, has been appointed “pardon czar”. She will advise him in other cases.
Trump stated at a White House event celebrating Black History Month that “Alice spent years in prison for something today, probably would not even be prosecuted.”
She spent 22 years behind bars — 22 years. She still had 22 more years. Can you believe it?” He told the crowd, which included Johnson, that he had pardoned the woman and that it was “one of the best pardons”.
Trump said, “We will be listening to you and your recommendations for pardons… She is going to become my pardon czar.”
Kim Kardashian, a reality television star, successfully petitioned Trump to pardon Johnson in 2018. Johnson had served almost 22 years of her life sentence due to a nonviolent drug offense.
Johnson was a first-time offender, 63 years old, and convicted of cocaine possession, money laundering, and other crimes. Trump first commuted her sentence and then pardoned Johnson.
