Alice Marie Johnson, convicted of drug offenses and granted clemency by Trump, is under consideration for the position of pardon czar. Though her appointment is not yet finalized, Johnson has expressed her desire to help those eligible for clemency. Her affiliation with Trump, particularly her support during the 2020 campaign, indicates potential political benefits for the president. However, Trump's contradictory views on criminal justice, expressed through his past support of the First Step Act and recent calls for harsher penalties, shake the foundations of his reform narrative.
Ms. Johnson, whose case was originally brought to Mr. Trump's attention by Kim Kardashian, has become a vocal supporter of the president.
During his 2024 campaign, he called for shooting thieves who steal from drugstores and for the death penalty for drug traffickers and dealers.
Some of Mr. Trump's advisers see her as being politically helpful to him over the years; during the 2020 presidential race, the Trump campaign featured her in a Super Bowl ad.
Her case, and the new role of pardon czar, show how Mr. Trump's approach to criminal justice reform is rife with contradictions.
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