President Donald Trump issued over 140 clemencies in the final hours of his White House term.
Among them were ex-strategist Steve Bannon, rapper Lil Wayne and former Arizona Rep. Rick Renzi.
Renzi, who received a full pardon, was convicted in 2013 of corruption, money laundering and other charges. He was released from federal prison in 2017.
The last-minute clemency, announced after midnight on Wednesday, follows separate waves of pardons over the past month for Trump associates convicted in the FBI’s Russia investigation as well as for the father of his son-in-law.
Trump had already pardoned a slew of longtime associates and supporters, including his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law; his longtime friend and adviser Roger Stone; and his former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Republican Rep. Paul Gosar had been calling on President Trumpto pardon Renzi, saying in a December tweet that the Department of Justice is “corrupt and inept.”
More pardons are needed. I’ve expressed my support to @realDonaldTrump to pardon Rick Renzi, convicted by corrupt DOJ prosecutors who fabricated evidence, as well as anyone indicted with @WeBuildtheWall —a clear political persecution. Our DOJ is corrupt and inept.
— Paul Gosar (@DrPaulGosar) December 24, 2020
Trump also pardoned Scott Crosby, who was arrested in 1992 for participating in a plan to commit bank robbery. A statement from the White House said the pardon would restore Crosby’s federal civil rights. Crosby’s pardon was supported by Sen. Martha McSally and the mayor and vice mayor of Mesa.
