Donald Trump pardons or offers clemency to fifteen people
The President of the United States granted pardon on Tuesday to a series of former congressmen guilty of corruption, to two people indicted in the Russian investigation, as well as to former Blackwater employees convicted of the outcome of a massacre in Baghdad, triggering an uproar.
Outgoing US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday, December 22 about fifteen pardons or leniency measures, which will benefit, among other things, two personalities implicated in the investigation into Russian interference during the 2016 election, as well as that various individuals involved in the scandal of the private security firm Blackwater, in Iraq.
The measures have sparked outrage, as the Republican president refuses to admit defeat in the November 3 presidential election to Joe Biden, but is due to leave the White House on January 20.
A total pardon was thus granted to George Papadopoulos, former diplomatic adviser to Mr. Trump during his 2016 campaign, who admitted to having lied to the FBI about his contacts with an intermediary who had promised to put him in touch with officials. Russian.
He had cooperated with investigators under Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, who had led two years of investigations into possible collusion between Russia and Team Trump. The investigation could not conclude that there was an agreement between Moscow and the Republican billionaire. Mr. Papadopoulos had served twelve days in prison. "Today's pardon corrects the harm inflicted on many people by Mueller," the White House said. A Dutch lawyer, Alex van der Zwaan, was also pardoned by Mr Trump on Tuesday after he was implicated in the Russian investigation.
At the end of November, Mr. Trump had already pardoned Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser, also implicated in the same case.
Involved in killings in Iraq
Pardons were also granted Tuesday by the US president to four former employees of the private security company Blackwater, the latter being implicated in the murders of Iraqi citizens in 2007. One of these security guards, Nicholas Slatten, has been sentenced to life imprisonment. They had been convicted of having taken part in a shooting in Baghdad on September 16, 2007: a bloody episode which had provoked an international scandal - having notably highlighted the use of private companies by the American army - and had increased resentment of Iraqis towards the United States. Fourteen Iraqi civilians were then killed and seventeen others wounded. The Blackwater guards had claimed to have acted in self-defense.
"This grace dishonours the army in an unspeakable way"
Democrats have strongly criticized these pardon measures. "Trump places loyalty above everything else: above the rule of law, above our democracy, and certainly above justice," said Adam Schiff, president of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee. “I know nothing he does surprises me anymore, but what a shocking, partisan and repulsive abuse of power! Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen tweeted.
"All of this makes you want to vomit," said former Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, who sat on the Upper House's Armed Services Committee, adding that "this pardon unspeakably disgraces the military."
