House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) does not think Ghislaine Maxwell should receive a pardon from President Donald Trump.
In fact, he said her 20-year sentence “was a pittance.”
Johnson spoke about the matter with Kristen Welker on NBC’s “Meet the Press”Sunday, per Mediaite.
Welker pressed Johnson about Maxwell after Trump said Friday he had not thought about a pardon for the long-time associate of Jeffrey Epstein, but he is “allowed to do it.”
Maxwell was interviewed in prison by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche two days last week. She fielded questions 100 potential Epstein associates in the hopes for leniency in her sentence, per Fox News.
Johnson agreed the decision on a pardon is up to Trump.
“Well, I mean, obviously that’s a decision of the president,” Johnson said. “He said he had not adequately considered that. I won’t get in front of him. That’s not my lane. My lane is to help direct and control the House of Representatives and to use every tool within our arsenal to get to the truth.”
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Then, Johnson gave his own opinion regarding a Maxwell pardon.
“If you’re asking my opinion, I think 20 years was a pittance!” Johnson said. “I think she should have a life sentence at least. I mean, think of all these unspeakable crimes, and as you noted earlier, probably 1,000 victims. I mean … it’s hard to put into words how evil this was, and that she orchestrated it and was a big part of it, at least under the criminal sanction, I think is an unforgivable thing.
“So again, not my decision, but I have great pause about that, as any reasonable person would,” he added.
Both Maxwell and Epstein were convicted on sex trafficking. Epstein died by suicide in prison in 2019.
