Trump pardons dozens of allies who tried to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden

Geoff Bennett:

As President Trump continues to push the lie that the 2020 election was stolen, he's taken a new step to protect former administration officials and his allies who have been accused of working to overturn the election that Joe Biden won.

White House correspondent Liz Landers reports on a series of pardons the president has granted.

Liz Landers:

The Justice Department announcing late Sunday evening that a slate of people involved in the alleged scheme to overturn the 2020 election results have been pardoned by President Trump.

Special attorney Ed Martin posting on social media that the list of people, including Trump's former personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and attorney Sidney Powell, were pardoned Friday.

In it, President Trump grants a — quote — "full, complete and unconditional pardon" to nearly 80 people in order to end a — quote — "grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people after the 2020 election."

Edward Martin, U.S. Pardon Attorney:

They were being shut down. They were being silenced. And why? And the question was, what happened to the 2020 election?

Liz Landers:

The president continues to maintain without evidence that the 2020 election was rigged and he won. After the 2020 election, Trump allies allegedly worked together in a coordinated effort, according to the House January 6 Select Committee, to submit alternate electors in key swing states like Arizona and Georgia that falsely certified Trump won the election.

One of those pardoned, Jeffrey Clark, a former top Justice Department lawyer who pushed to keep Trump in power. He was indicted in Georgia in August 2023, along with Trump and more than a dozen others in an election racketeering scheme. He took to social media on Monday morning to say Trump had personally called him to tell him about the pardon, but also acknowledged his legal woes were not over.

Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes, making Trump's move largely symbolic. Giuliani, Clark and others still face charges at the state level.

Liz Oyer, Former DOJ Pardon Attorney:

These are very unusual pardons, because the way they're written is very broad.

Liz Landers:

Liz Oyer served as the Department of Justice pardon attorney appointed during the Biden administration.

Oyer says it's about the message Trump is sending.

Liz Oyer:

They have all been charged with crimes under state law. That's actually an area where the Constitution is very clear that the president does not have pardon power.

Liz Landers:

So do you think these pardons really matter?

Liz Oyer:

The thing that's very concerning and alarming about them is that the president is clearly messaging to his supporters that, if you commit crimes in the name of Donald Trump, Trump will have your back. It is essentially a call to MAGA supporters and Trump loyalists to do whatever it is that they feel that they need to do in the interest of Donald Trump.

Liz Landers:

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Liz Landers.