US President Donald Trump has pardoned his former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and dozens of other allies who stood accused of trying to overturn the result of the 2020 election.
He also pardoned his former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, in a proclamation that vowed to “end a grave national injustice”.
Others who benefited from the clemency were a number of so-called false electors, who were accused of trying to hijack the process to certify Joe Biden, a Democrat, as the winner of the election five years ago.
Trump’s move is largely symbolic, however, since pardons only apply to federal crimes and all of the recipients were charged by state-level prosecutors only.
Ed Martin, a justice department attorney, posted the “full, complete and unconditional” pardons on X.
The pardons, said the text of the proclamation, would continue “the process of national reconciliation”.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to the BBC: “Getting prosecuted for challenging results is something that happens in communist Venezuela, not the United States of America, and President Trump is putting an end to the Biden Regime’s communist tactics once and for all.”
This round of clemency does not apply to Trump himself – who denies any wrongdoing – though the president has long maintained he has the power to pardon himself. But any such proclamation by him would face legal challenges.
Giuliani declared bankruptcy two years ago after being found liable for $148m (£112m) for spreading falsehoods about Georgia election workers. He was disbarred as a lawyer in Washington DC and New York. (BBC News)
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