Trump’s Dangerous Pardons: A Closer Look
A great story in the Kos about the Willie Horton-esque attack ads Trump is running against Kamala got me thinking about how to punch back.
Republicans’ Tactics
Repubs have never shied away from this kind of visceral, gut-wrenching attack. It resonates.
It’s time to even the score.
Trump’s Corrupt Pardons
Trump deliberately freed known predators from jail who then preyed on their communities again. Trump’s corrupt pardons/commutations of felons and thugs predictably unleashed some terrible people who predictably did it again.
Feel free to add to the list. There are so many to choose from.
Examples of Dangerous Pardons
A quick search of the career criminals Trump pardoned/commuted who went on to do very bad things turned up the following:
Jamie A. Davidson
Freed cop killer later attempted to strangle his wife, convicted of domestic violence (2024)
A convicted cop killer freed by former President Donald Trump has been arrested for a new violent crime in Central Florida.
During his final hours in office in January 2021, Trump pardoned 74 people and commuted or ended the sentences of 70 others.
On that list for an “Executive Grant of Clemency” was the name “Jamie A Davidson.”
Davidson, reputed to be a notorious drug kingpin, spent 29 years in prison after being convicted and sentenced to life for the 1990 fatal shooting of Syracuse, New York, police Officer Wallie Howard Jr.
According to federal records, Howard was murdered while working as an undercover “DEA agent.”
Davidson allegedly gave the gun and orders to kill the officer to teenager Robert “Bam Bam” Lawrence, whose life sentence was reduced. He was released in 2020.
According to the Trump White House release, some witnesses recanted their testimony about Davidson’s involvement, warranting his release.
Early in the morning on March 31, 2023, Davidson’s wife called 911, summoning Orlando police. She said then, and testified at trial, that she found, by looking through his phone, that he was planning to leave her.
She ordered him out of the apartment and said as he was leaving, he grabbed her throat and began strangling her. She broke free and called for help.
During trial, his wife testified, “I thought I was going to die.”
Davidson was convicted of misdemeanor battery domestic violence in May and sentenced in July to three months in prison.
Jonathan Braun
Drug dealer, loan shark enforcer — Did more Loan Sharking, assaulted his wife and father-in-law (2024)
‘I will take your daughters from you’: Drug smuggler granted clemency by Trump arrested for allegedly punching wife and her father in face (2024)
A New York State man whose drug-related sentence was commuted by then-President Donald Trump in 2021 was recently arrested for allegedly attacking both his wife and her septuagenarian father.
Jonathan Braun, 41, stands accused of one count of assault with injury on a person 65 years or older in the second degree, two counts of assault with intent to cause injury in the third degree, and one count of petit larceny, according to Nassau County District Court records.
Previously convicted of importing marijuana and money laundering, the defendant was also subject to a regulatory enforcement action resulting in a fine of $20 million in February for predatory lending practices in a civil case brought by the Federal Trade Commission.
In January 2021, Trump issued a final wave of 143 pardons and commutations — many of which were highly scrutinized. Braun’s commutation was no exception. In the aftermath, the Times, CNN, and the Staten Island Advance ran stories about the international drug smuggler with a “history of violence and threatening people” who was already facing additional criminal allegations at the time.
The FTC lawsuit was also joined by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Authorities in that case essentially accused Braun of acting as an enforcer for Richmond Companies — which charged astronomical interest rates on loans to small businesses.
“You have no idea what I’m going to do,” Braun allegedly told one debtor and small business owner. “I will take your daughters from you.”
Eliyahu Weinstein
Ponzi Scheme fraudster did it again (2023)
Convicted fraudster granted clemency by Trump faces fresh charges
A New Jersey man who was twice convicted of defrauding investors out of $230m and whose lengthy prison sentence was commuted by Donald Trump when he was US president is once again facing fraud charges, federal prosecutors in New Jersey announced on Wednesday.
Eliyahu “Eli” Weinstein, 48, of Lakewood, who is also known as Mike Konig, is among five men accused of defrauding dozens of investors out of $35m, according to an arrest complaint unsealed in federal court in Trenton. The five are charged with wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct justice, and each could face up to 25 years in prison.
Philip Sellinger, the US attorney for New Jersey, said Weinstein used a fake name and falsely promised access to deals involving scarce medical supplies, baby formula and first-aid kits supposedly destined for wartime Ukraine.
Call to Action
Somebody please make a video featuring these people and the people they harmed.
Kossaks! Please add your favorite Trump crime wave candidates to the list.
A complete list of commutations and pardons is at Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/…) and in the Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com/…) and probably other places.