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Donald Trump is being tipped to issue 100 pardons and commutations to allies before he leaves the White House on Wednesday morning, with The New York Times reporting that his allies have accepted tens of thousands of dollars from clients lobbying for a reprieve.
The White House held a meeting on Sunday to finalise the list of pardons, two sources told CNN, with Mr Trump’s own name not currently among the roster of white-collar criminals under consideration.
The president will also depart the Oval Office with the lowest approval rating of all time, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll, which finds just 33 per cent of Americans approving of his conduct and disapproval at 60 per cent, the worst since Jimmy Carter left DC in 1981 on 44 per cent.
Trump expected to issue 100 pardons before leaving office
Donald Trump is being tipped to issue 100 pardons and commutations to allies before he leaves the White House on Wednesday morning.
The White House held a meeting on Sunday to finalise the list of pardons, two sources told CNN, with Trump’s own name not currently among the roster of white-collar criminals under consideration, although his former chief strategist Steve Bannon – with whom he has recently ended a long-running feud – rumoured to be in contention.
Since losing the 3 November elections, the president has issued pardons to at least 45 people but had paused while gearing up for the 6 January session of the US Congress, which certified Joe Biden’s victory.
Mayank Aggarwal has this report.
Joe Sommerlad18 January 2021 08:55
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s rolling coverage of the Donald Trump administration as it enters its final days.
Joe Sommerlad18 January 2021 08:37