{"id":2405055,"date":"2025-02-21T08:46:02","date_gmt":"2025-02-21T13:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-anoints-former-inmate-alice-johnson-as-new-pardon-czar-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-02-21T08:47:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T13:47:15","slug":"trump-anoints-former-inmate-alice-johnson-as-new-pardon-czar-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-anoints-former-inmate-alice-johnson-as-new-pardon-czar-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump anoints former inmate Alice Johnson as new \u2018pardon czar\u2019 &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-anoints-former-inmate-alice-johnson-as-new-pardon-czar-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2405055&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Former inmate\u2063 Alice Johnson has been appointed by\u200c President Donald \u200bTrump as the new\u2064 \u201cpardon czar\u201d at \u2063the White House. This significant declaration was made during a \u200bBlack History Month event, where Trump\u2062 praised Johnson as an inspiration and expressed his intention to consider her recommendations for pardons. Johnson\u2019s journey has been remarkable; she served 22 years in\u200b prison for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-commutes-sentences-of-31-individuals-with-nonviolent-drug-offenses\/\" title=\"Biden Commutes ...s of 31 Individuals With Nonviolent Drug Offenses\">nonviolent drug offenses<\/a> and received a life sentence \u200cin 1996. Her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hawaii-couple-found-guilty-of-stealing-identities-of-dead-babies\/\" title=\"Hawaii couple convicted for stealing identities of deceased infants.\">case garnered attention<\/a> thru celebrity Kim\u2063 Kardashian, who advocated for her \u200drelease. In 2018, \u2063Trump\u2062 commuted \u200dJohnson\u2019s sentence after\u200b a meeting\u200b with kardashian. Johnson later received a full pardon\u2062 in 2020. During her recent return to the White House,Trump \u2062highlighted \u2064the unjust nature\u200c of her long sentence\u200d and \u2064expressed\u2062 confidence\u2062 in Johnson&#8217;s ability to recommend others for \u2063pardons,emphasizing the \u200cpotential\u200b impact of her new\u2063 role.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump anoints former inmate Alice Johnson  as new &lsquo;pardon czar&rsquo;<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1999657\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Former inmate Alice Johnson now has a role in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/white-house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"White House\">White House<\/a> &mdash; serving as President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"White House\">Donald Trump<\/a>&lsquo;s &ldquo;pardon czar.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;Alice, you&rsquo;ve been an inspiration to people, and we&rsquo;re going to be listening to your recommendation on pardons,&rdquo; Trump announced during a Black History Month event Thursday. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re going to go over, and you&rsquo;re going to be &mdash; she&rsquo;s going to be my pardon czar. And you&rsquo;re going to find people just like you that this should not have happened to.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>If Trump makes a habit of listening to those recommendations, Johnson will find herself a very powerful and sought-after person, as <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">presidents enjoy vast powers<\/a> to wipe out convictions via pardons. Former President Joe Biden even used <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3293098\/biden-pardons-family-members-last-minute\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"pre-emptive pardons\">preemptive pardons<\/a> to shield associates and members of his family from future prosecution.<\/p>\n<p>It was an amazing turnaround for Johnson, who went from serving a life sentence in prison all the way to being praised by the president inside the White House walls.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson is a Memphis native who received a life sentence for nonviolent drug offenses in 1996 and went on to serve 22 years in prison. She then got the attention of someone with the ear of Trump &mdash;  Kim Kardashian, who learned of Johnson&rsquo;s predicament via X.<\/p>\n<p>Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2612137\/kim-kardashian-to-meet-with-trump-at-white-house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"met with Kardashian\">met with Kardashian<\/a> in 2018 to ask for the pardon of Johnson, who was 62 years old at the time and still stuck behind bars. Kardashian also lobbied Jared Kushner, Trump&rsquo;s son-in-law and then-White House adviser, for Johnson to be released.<\/p>\n<p>After the meeting, Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2639041\/trump-commutes-alice-johnsons-life-sentence-in-win-for-kim-kardashian\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"signed a commutation\">signed a commutation<\/a> for Johnson.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Today, President Donald J. Trump granted a commutation to Alice Marie Johnson, a 63-year-old great-grandmother who has served almost 22 years in Federal prison for a first-time criminal offense,&rdquo; the White House <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2639041\/trump-commutes-alice-johnsons-life-sentence-in-win-for-kim-kardashian\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"said\">said<\/a> at the time. &ldquo;Despite receiving a life sentence, Alice worked hard to rehabilitate herself in prison and act as a mentor to her fellow inmates.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Kardashian responded on X, saying it was the &ldquo;best news ever.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">BEST NEWS EVER!!!! &#128591;&#127996;&#128591;&#127996;&#128591;&#127996; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/JUbpbE1Bk0\">https:\/\/t.co\/JUbpbE1Bk0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KimKardashian\/status\/1004398935534948353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 6, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>After being released, Johnson said she had a &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/1127789\/alice-johnson-recalls-feeling-of-betrayal-from-obama-urges-working-with-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"feeling of betrayal\">feeling of betrayal<\/a>&rdquo; when former President Barack Obama left office with her still behind bars.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;From what everyone was saying, the Obama administration would be the one that would set you free, but I was still not set free. So, to put your faith in a man was not a good thing to do,&rdquo; Johnson said in July 2018, one month after being released.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;And not only was I left behind, but many others were left behind also,&rdquo; Johnson said. &ldquo;There was a feeling of betrayal because I had so much hope that I was going to come out.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>She received a full pardon in 2020, appearing with Trump in the Oval Office to thank him a few months before that year&rsquo;s election.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, she was back at the White House, this time to receive an assignment from the president.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-transform:uppercase\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3325189\/white-house-no-inflation-doge-dividend-checks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"White House says &lsquo;DOGE dividend&rsquo; checks wouldn&rsquo;t spur inflation\">White House says &lsquo;DOGE dividend&rsquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doge-dividend-checks-wouldnt-spark-inflation-white-house\/\" title=\"&#039;DOGE dividend&#039; checks wouldn&#039;t spark inflation: ...\">checks wouldn&#038;rsquo<\/a>;t spur inflation<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Alice was in prison for doing something that today probably wouldn&rsquo;t even be prosecuted,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;She spent 22 years in prison, 22 years, and she had another 22 years left. Can you believe it? And I pardoned her, and it was one of the best pardons. She happened to be on the wrong telephone line. Is that true? She was on a telephone call, and I&rsquo;m not saying it was perfect, but it wasn&rsquo;t worth 40 or 50 years.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;So you&rsquo;re going to look, and you&rsquo;re going to make recommendations,&rdquo; the president added, &ldquo;and I&rsquo;ll follow those recommendations, OK?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1999657\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1999657\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump appoints Alice Johnson as new &#8216;pardon czar&#8217; in White House<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2635,"featured_media":2405056,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Donald-Trump-Alice-Johnson-pardon-czar.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[50804,36352,50805,50806,3634],"class_list":["post-2405055","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-alice-johnson","tag-criminal-justice-reform","tag-pardon-czar","tag-presidential-appointments","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Donald-Trump-Alice-Johnson-pardon-czar.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2405055","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2635"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2405055"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2405055\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2405059,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2405055\/revisions\/2405059"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2405056"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2405055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2405055"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2405055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}