Trump pardons Rudy Giuliani, Sydney Powell and others allegedly involved in altering 2020 US election result

US President Donald Trump pardoned Rudy Giuliani, Sydney Powell, John Eastman, Mark Meadows and others who were charged with attempting to interfere with the 2020 US election results, the White House announced late Sunday (Nov 9). The list of 77 people was pardoned, who were allegedly involved in the plan to arrange an alternate slate of electors and “expose voting fraud” in the elections. The pardon was signed by Trump on Friday (Nov 7).

The high-profile individuals were charged in Georgia over a scheme to overturn the 2020 election results. Four of them had pleaded guilty in the case.

“This proclamation ends a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people following the 2020 Presidential Election and continues the process of national reconciliation,” the pardon states. “This pardon does not apply to the president of the United States,” it added.

It includes a “full, complete, and unconditional pardon” for those named, including some of the president’s co-defendants who were charged for trying to overturn Trump’s 2020 election defeat. The pardon clearly states that it does not apply to Trump. Presidential pardons can only be granted for federal charges and do not apply to state or local charges.

Last week, Trump granted clemency to a retired New York City police officer convicted in 2013 for spying on a New Jersey family on behalf of the Chinese government. Trump also pardoned former Major League Baseball star Darryl Strawberry for a 1995 tax evasion charge.