BY IONA CLEAVE

 

WASHINGTON, 10 Nov. - (ANA) - Donald Trump has pardoned Rudy Giuliani and dozens of allies accused of attempting to overturn the 2020 election.

 

Mr Giuliani, Mr Trump’s disbarred personal lawyer, is on the list of 77 people who have received “full, complete and unconditional” pardons, including members of the US president’s inner circle and campaign legal team.

 

The document posted by Ed Martin, the US’s pardon attorney also known as Mr Trump’s “clemency tsar”, is largely symbolic as none of those identified were charged with federal crimes.

 

Along with Mr Giuliani, who was at the forefront of the campaign claiming widespread fraud in response to Joe Biden’s victory, the list includes Mark Meadows, the former White House chief of staff, John Eastman, who was accused of creating the legal blueprint for Mr Trump to subvert the election, and Sidney Powell, a Trump campaign attorney.

 

Jack Smith, the former special counsel, identified Mr Giuliani, Mr Eastman and Ms Powell, among others, as Mr Trump’s co-conspirators in his alleged attempts to subvert the election, though no federal charges were brought against them. The pardons will now prevent any future administration from pursuing a criminal case against them.

 

The document reads: “This proclamation ends a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people following the 2020 presidential election and continues the process of national reconciliation.”

 

It also explicitly excludes Mr Trump from the list, who has long attempted to claim he has the power to pardon himself.

 

The pardons also extend to a number of people who falsely claimed to be legitimate electors to battleground states as part of a scheme to pressure Mike Pence, the then vice-president, to overturn the election on Jan 6, 2021.

 

When Mr Pence refused, the president’s supporters attacked the US Capitol building in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s victory.

 

Five people died and more than 140 police officers were injured during the violent riot. The Capitol suffered millions of dollars in damage.

 

Aside from orchestrating the “fake elector” plot, members of Mr Trump’s legal team for his 2020 campaign were also accused of claiming that widespread voter fraud took place in key swing states to allow Mr Biden’s victory.

 

However, the campaign was never able to provide definitive proof of nefarious activity.

 

Dozens of those on the pardon list were charged in states that also investigated Mr Trump’s attempt to subvert the election, including Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin and Nevada. Presidents do not have the power to pardon state crimes.

 

Deadlines loom for the remaining prosecutions to move forward.

 

Before he was elected for a second term, Mr Trump was charged with conspiracy to defraud the US and conspiracy against the rights of its citizens after the Jan 6 riots. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and claimed the Biden administration was behind the prosecution.

 

The Supreme Court later ruled that presidents had broad immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts they undertook.

 

Hours after returning to office, Mr Trump pardoned or commuted the sentences of more than 1,500 people convicted or charged in connection with the US Capitol riot.

 

The pardons announcement came as the last vote was cast in the Senate to advance legislation to end the longest government shutdown in US history.

 

The procedural vote passed 60-40, after breakaway Democrats agreed to reinstate funding to federal agencies in the short term. It will still need approval from the Republican-controlled House and Mr Trump’s signature, which could take days.

 

It is the first step to end the 40-day shutdown, which has sidelined federal workers, delayed food aid and sparked travel chaos at US airports.  - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/10 November 2025 - - -