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Donald Trump pardons Steve Bannon, Elliott Broidy and Lil Wayne in final hours as President

US President Donald Trump reflected in glass wearing a suit
Donald Trump has not pardoned himself or his children.(

Reuters: Carlos Barria




In total, 143 people were granted pardons and commutations.

The pardons were announced after midnight on Wednesday (local time), in the final hours of Mr Trump's presidency.

Mr Trump also pardoned rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, both prosecuted on federal weapons offences, as well as former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who was serving a 28-year prison term on corruption charges, a senior administration official said.

Elliott Broidy, a Trump donor who pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate foreign lobbying laws, was also pardoned.

A person familiar with his thinking who spoke to the Associated Press (AP) said Mr Trump flip-flopped repeatedly as he mulled his final actions, and warned the decision could be reversed until it was formally unveiled.

The last-minute clemency would follow separate waves of pardons over the last month for the President's allies, including associate Roger Stone, who was convicted in the FBI's Russia investigation, as well as Charles Kushner, the father of Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

What is Bannon being pardoned for?

Mr Bannon, who was a key adviser in Trump's 2016 presidential run, was last year charged over an alleged scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of Trump supporters in a campaign that raised more than $US25 million ($35 million) to help build the US-Mexico border wall.

Close up of Steven Bannon's head as he looks to the right, while wearing a black turtleneck
Steve Bannon could still be charged in a state court in New York, where the presidential pardon would not help him.(

AP: Thibault Camus


He pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering and was released on bail.

In a statement, the White House Press Secretary said:

"President Trump granted a full pardon to Stephen Bannon.

"Prosecutors pursued Mr Bannon with charges related to fraud stemming from his involvement in a political project.

"Mr Bannon has been an important leader in the conservative movement and is known for his political acumen."

Whereas pardon recipients were generally thought of as defendants who had faced justice, often by having served at least some prison time, a pardon for Mr Bannon would nullify a prosecution that was still in its early stages.

Mr Bannon's case was likely months away from trial in Manhattan, effectively eliminating any prospect of punishment.

But Mr Bannon could still be charged in state court in New York, where a pardon would not help him, said Daniel R. Alonso, a former prosecutor now at the Buckley law firm.

Besides Mr Bannon, other Trump family allies to get pardons were Elliott Broidy, a Republican fundraiser who pleaded guilty in a scheme to lobby the White House to drop an investigation into the looting of a Malaysian wealth fund, and Ken Kurson, a friend of Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner who was charged last October with cyberstalking during a heated divorce.

"Steve Bannon is getting a pardon from Trump after defrauding Trump's own supporters into paying for a wall that Trump promised Mexico would pay for," Democratic representative Adam Schiff said on Twitter.

"And if that all sounds crazy, that's because it is. Thank God we have only 12 more hours of this den of thieves."

Lil Wayne wears a baseball cap and sunglasses as he performs during a concert
Lil Wayne was facing up to 10 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.(

Reuters: Steve Marcus


Lil Wayne, 38, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr, pleaded guilty in federal court in December to illegally possessing a firearm and was facing up to 10 years in prison.

Kodak Black, 23, who was born Bill Kahan Kapri, is in federal prison for making a false statement in order to buy a firearm