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Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Trump’s use of the presidential pardon, and how it departs from his predecessors

Christmas is days away, and for 15 people who were naughty, President Trump delivered a special gift last night: a presidential pardon. Five people had their sentences commuted.

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By Madeleine Brand • Dec 23, 2020 • 8m Listen

Christmas is days away, and for 15 people who were naughty, President Trump delivered a special gift last night: a presidential pardon. Five people had their sentences commuted. On the list: two men convicted in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, three former members of Congress who supported Trump early on, and four Blackwater contractors convicted of killing civilians in Iraq. Blackwater was founded by one of Trump’s biggest supporters: Erik Prince, the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

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    Madeleine Brand

    Host, 'Press Play'

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    Sarah Sweeney

    Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW

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    Angie Perrin

    Producer, Press Play

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    Michell Eloy

    Line Editor, Press Play

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    David Farber

    law professor at the University of California, Berkeley

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Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand