• HappySkullsplitter@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    “The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me.”

    He called Ulbricht’s prison sentence “ridiculous.”

    I clearly recall Trump being president from 2016-2020, Ulbricht was sentenced to life without parole in 2015.

    If it was so ridiculous, why didn’t he pardon him on his first term? What changed to make it such an immediate priority now?

    • Podunk@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Because he needed the libertarian vote this time in order to win. Its a very cheap promise that guarantees votes and doesnt alienate anyone that doesnt care. Honestly, the fact that he followed through suprises me.

      “But why didnt he need the libertarian vote in 16?”

      Because he never intended to win the first time. The first run was a fluke. He wanted to play victim and run the media circuit for profit.

    • intensely_human@lemm.ee
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      3 months ago

      Trump doesn’t need to think about re-election this time around so he has more political freedom.

  • Phoenicianpirate@lemm.ee
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    3 months ago

    He referred to the prosecutors as scum and said they were the ones who were persecuting him like it was some purely political shit when he is an incredibly prolific fraudsters, rapist, and traitor. He should have been arrested during the Jan 6th insurrection and never allowed free again.

    His reasoning was that Ross was a libertarian and this is to honor the libertarian movement that supported him… dude! He labeled the fucking drug cartels terrorist organizations and Ross enabled so much drug trafficking it isn’t funny. How the fuck do people not see through that?

  • then_three_more@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Could someone explain like to an non American why the president gets to pardon people at all?

    If someone committed a crime they’re guilty, if there’s new evidence that they’re not guilty then that’s what appeals are for.

    • GBU_28@lemm.ee
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      3 months ago

      In a perfect system, the pardon is meant to be a “check” on the powers of the other branches. (Legislative and judicial). Each branch is meant to both support AND check the others.

      Obviously we are watching it all unwind. Certain things were a “gentleman’s agreement” in that a president normally wouldn’t over do it and just pardon tons of people. We are finding out lots of things were just assumed to be ok, but are easily abused by bad actors

      • then_three_more@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        That kinda makes sense, but aren’t some of your top judges appointed by the president. Which would mean the office of the president automatically has 2/3 of the things under their control.

        • GBU_28@lemm.ee
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          3 months ago

          Between Biden and trump we are in a new era.

          Similarly McConnell holding up supreme court nominee hearings for months, the way he did represents the erosion of another “gentleman’s agreement” between the branches of government.

    • sudneo@lemm.ee
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      3 months ago

      Just FYI this is not just an American thing. In Italy for example the President of the republic can cancel or amend sentences too, and it does happen relatively often, although not in the same partisan way as in the US (but that’s also because the president in Italy is a neutral and representative position).

      Some example from few years ago when the president graced 33 people (each with a specific articulated motivation) https://www.ilpost.it/2021/12/10/mattarella-grazia-sette-persone-sebastian-oberleteir-heinrich/ (in Italian, but you can translate if you wish).

  • twistypencil@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    I didn’t even notice that this happened:

    Today, President Biden granted Leonard Peltier executive clemency and commuted the remainder of his sentence.

  • Treczoks@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Didn’t Donald the Jester say something about fighting crime before the election? And then he drops thousands of hard criminals back on the street?

  • jeffw@lemmy.worldM
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    3 months ago

    Anyone else remember the panic when you logged in and saw the notice that the site was seized by the feds?

    I mean, certainly not something I experienced but I’m sure if I had it would’ve been terrifying to think the feds could find your info

  • MunkysUnkEnz0@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Probably made a deal and wants all his Bitcoin. Smart kid, you know it’s hidden somewhere. Thank God he’s out there double life without parole. It’s inhumane.

    Not to mention that undercover basically set him up to look bad.

    • paraphrand@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      People can watch his wallets right? And they suspect/know what ones they are? And this is something people are hotly following now?

      I should look this up. It’s fascinating if we can just watch it happen, on the chain.