In a stunning rebuke to his former boss, Marc Short, who served as chief of staff for former Vice President Mike Pence, criticized the pardons handed out by former President Donald Trump in the final hours of his administration.
Short’s scathing remarks came during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” where he did not mince words about the questionable decisions made by Trump.
“One of the most unseemly parts of the end of our administration was the pardons that Donald Trump gave to cocaine traffickers, to family members, to people guilty of violent crimes,” Short candidly stated. It was a rare moment of dissent from someone who had been an integral part of the Trump administration.
Short went on to emphasize the need for a serious conversation about the power of the pardon and its implications. Drawing on his experience working with governors, he questioned the judgment behind Trump’s pardons, calling them indefensible. Trump’s record on pardons, according to Short, leaves much to be desired.
The pardons issued by Trump on January 20, 2021, his final day in office, raised eyebrows and sparked controversy. With 73 pardons and 70 sentence commutations, Trump granted clemency to a wide range of individuals, including former White House adviser Steve Bannon and popular rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black.
Among those whose sentences were commuted was former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who had been serving a nearly 30-year sentence on corruption charges.
Short’s comments coincided with an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” where Pence, while defending Trump’s right to have his day in court, skillfully avoided answering questions about the possibility of Trump being convicted if the allegations against him proved true. The tension within the Republican Party is palpable, as former allies and colleagues begin to voice their concerns about Trump’s actions during his presidency.
As Republicans, we must acknowledge and address the criticisms leveled against our party. It is vital to have open and honest discussions about the actions and decisions made by our leaders.
The power of the pardon should not be wielded recklessly, tarnishing the reputation of an administration that achieved significant accomplishments. Moving forward, we must strive for accountability and integrity in all aspects of governance.
Source Fox News
