Former Obama adviser Van Jones praised President Donald Trump for his newly appointed “pardon czar,” Alice Marie Johnson.
On Thursday, Trump appointed Johnson, a girl he pardoned throughout his first time period, as “pardon czar” throughout a Black Historical past Month occasion on the White Home. Johnson had beforehand been convicted of nonviolent drug trafficking in Memphis, Tennessee and, after serving 21 years, her life sentence was commuted by Trump.
Jones praised the president for this newest appointment as he spoke to liberal commentator Donny Deutsch on Monday’s episode of the “On Model” podcast.
“He put Miss Alice Johnson – the previously incarcerated Black lady who he freed whereas working with Kim Kardashian – he simply put her in control of pardons. That’s large,” Jones stated. “Anyone who has really been incarcerated, been within the federal system, understands how the Division of Justice screws over individuals who ought to be coming residence – some individuals who shouldn’t come residence – however lots of people that ought to come residence, they usually get screwed by the pardon workplace. She’s gonna repair that.”
“As anyone who has labored on legal justice, as you realize, for 30 years, having somebody who’s a previously incarcerated individual in control of going via all these pardons and ensuring that folks get a good shot – I believe that’s an excellent factor,” he continued.
Deutsch quoted a submit Jones had written in late January, when he stated, “Trump’s coronary heart CAN be touched. He has been moved, many occasions, to assist downtrodden people — whether or not in his make use of or in federal prisons (First Step Act). So don’t assume that ethical appeals can by no means work with Trump. In the best discussion board and circumstances, they will and do.”
Jones stood by his phrases describing Trump’s first time period in workplace, saying that Trump introduced previously incarcerated people to the White Home and allowed them to talk at press conferences. “I don’t keep in mind Biden or Obama or Clinton doing something remotely like that.”
Nevertheless, Jones nonetheless had criticism of Trump.
“Now I believe we’re in a five-alarm fireplace and I’d be radically, rabidly against even my beloved Barack Obama doing these things. We now have a system. It’s not excellent, but it surely’s designed to work a selected method so that you simply don’t have a king, you don’t have anyone who simply has unchecked energy, and he’s simply, you realize, he’s grabbing authorities that aren’t allowed,” he stated.
Johnson has spoken positively about her position in Trump’s administration, telling Fox Information about how keen she is to get began.
“I plan to satisfy the belief that the president has positioned in me,” Johnson stated. “He’s given me particular marching orders and, really, I’ve been engaged on this nonstop since my launch. That is actually a continuation of the work that I’ve already been doing. I’ve introduced many pardon circumstances earlier than the president previously and one factor I can say about President Trump [is], he was very taken with their households. He needed to know if they’ve a strong reentry program in place.”
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