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.