(LibertySons.org) – In October 2023, Representative Dean Phillips (D-MN) launched his presidential campaign to challenge President Joe Biden in the primaries. He suspended that campaign in early March and threw his support behind the president for re-election, stating that former President Donald Trump was a “very dangerous, dangerous man.” Still, he had a surprising suggestion for the New York governor.
On May 31, Phillips posted on social media that Trump was a “serial liar, cheater, and philanderer” — among other things — but still urged NY Governor Kathy Hochul to pardon him for his crimes in her state “for the good of the country.” The previous day, defendant Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records, making him a felon. After presumably receiving backlash for his viewpoint, Phillips once again posted on social media.
The Minnesota lawmaker reasoned that the conviction only made him a “martyr,” “energizing his base” and bringing in large amounts of “campaign cash.” He said granting him that status “over a payment to a porn star [was] stupid.” However, Phillips added that his pending charges for alleged election interference were a different story, indicating he wouldn’t call for a pardon over those should he eventually be convicted of such crimes.
Despite the legislator’s call, it seems unlikely that Hochul will choose to pardon the former president. After the verdict, she clearly stated that “no one is above the law” and that “justice was served.” The New York governor also said during an interview with National Public Radio that if someone commits a crime in her state and there is evidence to back up the conviction, the court’s “verdict must hold.”
Phillip’s request matches the calls from several members of the GOP, except with different reasoning. Many Republican lawmakers called Trump’s trial and conviction rigged, and a couple called on the Supreme Court to intervene. However, his felony status remains intact going into the November elections.
~Here’s to Our Liberty!
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