Outgoing US President Donald Trump
In the final hours of his presidency, Donald Trump has pardoned 73 people, including his former adviser Steve Bannon, who is facing fraud charges.
Another 70 people had sentences commuted, ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration at noon.
Rapper Lil Wayne received a pardon and there were commutations for rapper Kodak Black and former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
The president has not issued preemptive pardons for himself or family members.
He can still issue more pardons on Wednesday morning, as he remains president until Mr Biden takes the oath of office outside the US Capitol.
The inauguration ceremony will be tight on security following the recent breach of the Capitol by violent pro-Trump protesters. It will also be stripped of crowds due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A statement from the White House listed the 73 individuals who had received pardons and the 70 who had their sentences commuted. See also https://templates.legal/statement-press-secretary-regarding-executive-grants-clemency/
Although many on the list are conventional examples of convicts whose cases have been championed by rights activists and supporters in the community, others maintain the president’s trend of focusing on allies.
