Former Trump Men Facing Jail Terms Pin Hopes On Last-Minute Presidential Pardon

If President Donald Trump’s track record of issuing controversial pardons is any indication, top former aides including former National Security Advisor Ret. Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn can expect a lifeline before the President himself faces an impeachment trial.

Convicts pardoned by Trump include former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, political commentator Dinesh D’Souza and several military service members convicted of war crimes.

Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI as part of special council Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, and former campaign managers Paul Manafort and Roger Stone could be next in line.

Manafort was sentenced in 2018 for his role in providing consultation and illegal financial support to the since-ousted Ukrainian president, Viktor Yakunovych. Earlier this year, Stone, who consulted for Trump’s 2016 campaign, was convicted over his role in attempting to obstruct an investigation by the House of Representatives into political interference by Russia in the last presidential election.

The three former aides facing multiple years in federal prison appear to be making a great effort to curry favor with the President. With Trump be able to grant them their wishes before a likely Democrat-lead impeachment before the end of the year?

Flynn’s personal lawyer has attempted to gain Trump’s attention by publicly spinning conspiracy theories suggesting political vendetta by FBI investigators against the president and his team. Similarly, a lawyer hired by Manafort played a key role in suggesting to Trump’s legal team that there is evidence that the Ukrainian – not Russian – government was behind the foreign interference during the 2016 election. This theory has failed to hold water but nonetheless seems to have appealed to Trump who has been pushing this narrative in recent times.

Surrogates and supporters for Stone have been eager to appeal to Trump, popping up on various conservative media outlets including InfoWars and Fox News to argue that Stone was arrested by a vindictive, anti-Trump FBI.

As it stands, it is hardly far-fetched to believe Trump would hand out pardons to at least one of these men. Given the president’s disinterest in the negative optics that have come with his past pardons, as well as his dwindling team of insider supporters, it would be logical to expect such a move from Trump.