Former President Donald Trump recently issued “full, complete and unconditional” pardons to approximately 1,500 individuals connected to the January 6 attack on Congress. Among them is Republican councilwoman Michele Fiore, convicted of fraud in 2022, who received a pardon. Fiore’s case has drawn significant criticism, particularly from a Nevada newspaper owned by one of Trump’s prominent mega-donors.
Fiore was scheduled to be sentenced next month. She was found guilty of misusing the money that she had raised towards erecting a statue in memory of a Las Vegas policeman who was shot dead on duty in 2014. Federal prosecutors revealed that Fiore collected over $70,000 intended for the statue but instead diverted the funds for personal expenses, including cosmetic surgery and her daughter’s wedding.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal, which is owned by Miriam Adelson—a billionaire donor who spent $100 million supporting Trump’s reelection campaign—strongly condemned Trump’s decision to grant clemency to Fiore. The editorial described the pardon as a “debasement of presidential pardon power,” arguing that such actions undermine the integrity of the justice system.
“In addition, pardons are typically reserved for those who were wrongly convicted or the victim of some other miscarriage of justice. There is no evidence that either occurred in this case. Instead, it’s difficult to argue that political considerations weren’t the primary motivation for granting relief to Ms Fiore.” – The Guardian
As critics have noted, these pardons for participants in the January 6 insurrection are especially dangerous. This extends even to those with violent convictions, an alarming indicator of the ways in which presidential power is being wielded. Many believe these pardons to be motivated by politics rather than ideals of justice or rehabilitation.
Fiore shared news of her pardon in a jubilant Facebook post thanking Trump for “changing my life.” The backlash from various quarters has raised questions about the appropriateness of pardoning someone with such a controversial history.