Trump Considering Pardoning Associates Convicted From Mueller Probe

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is considering pardoning individuals convicted as part of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller‘s Russia investigation, though he did not specify any names.

“I’ve looked at a lot of different people. They’ve been treated extremely unfairly, and I think I probably would, yes,” Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

Trump also talked about the fallout from the Mueller probe, which culminated in the special counsel writing that while Russia did in fact interfere in the 2016 election, there was insufficient evidence to suggest the country had colluded with Trump’s campaign. U.S. Attorney John Durham is currently heading an investigation into the origins of the probe, and Trump speculated Thursday on when those findings will be released.

Among the Trump associates convicted as a result of Mueller’s investigation are former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, former campaign aide George Papadopoulos, Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Trump ally Roger Stone, former Trump attorney Michael Cohen and ex-Trump campaign deputy chairman Rick Gates.

The Justice Department moved to drop charges against Flynn, but that move has received pushback from a federal judge and thus remains undecided. Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, served 14 days in prison. Manafort is currently serving prison time after being convicted of tax and bank fraud.

Stone’s sentence was recently commuted by Trump prior to him reporting to prison, but he did not receive a full pardon. Cohen received a three-year sentence that he is currently serving in home confinement. Gates was sentenced in December to 45 days in jail, three years of probation and 300 hours of community service.

“A lot of things have been learned and what happened is a disgrace,” Trump said of the origins of the Mueller probe. “Again, should never ever happen.”

Article by Katherine Huggins