Trump Pardons Of Paul Manafort & Roger Stone Raise Further Obstruction Of Justice Questions

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump granted pardons to former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former adviser Roger Stone, erasing the most significant convictions from Special Counsel Robert Mueller Russia probe.

Trump also issued a pardon for Charles Kushner, a real estate developer and the father of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

In the past week, Trump has issued a number of allies presidential pardons, which he had previously been reluctant to grant.

On Wednesday, Trump issued 26 pardons and commuted part or all of the sentences of another three people, in addition to the group he had granted executive-branch relief to last week.

Clemency pertains to various forms of presidential mercy, most notably, commutations and pardons.

Legal experts have speculated whether Manafort and Stone could now be compelled to testify against Trump in future legal cases as they their pardons will no longer allow them to claim their Constitutional right against self incrimination.