House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is not pleased with President Donald Trump’s decision to commute Roger Stone’s prison sentence but she is proposing a solution to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
During an appearance on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” on Friday, the top Democrat shared her reaction to Trump’s pardon, calling it a “terrible decision.”
“I think it’s a terrible idea. Just look at this administration, the President and his henchmen,” Pelosi said. “So many of his friends, advisers, campaign chairmen, et cetera, are in jail.”
The California Democrat continued, “And for the President to be able to issue a pardon on the basis of a crime that the person committed assisting the president is ridiculous.”
Pelosi went on to suggest a law that would prohibit presidents from having such authoritative power.
She added, “There ought to be a law, and I’m recommending we pass a law that presidents cannot issue a pardon if the crime that the person is in jail for is one that is caused by protecting the president, which this was. It’s appalling.”
See Pelosi’s remarks below:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Trump commuting Roger Stone’s sentence: “I’m recommending that we pass a law that presidents cannot issue a pardon if the crime that the person is in jail for is one that is caused by protecting the President, which this was” https://t.co/ZzhLshSw7I pic.twitter.com/WCwCM5Xvq2
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 11, 2020
Pelosi’s remarks came shortly after Trump made headlines for commuting Stone’s sentence despite Stone being convicted and sentenced to prison on seven charges — obstruction of a congressional investigation, lying to Congress and witness tampering.
Despite calling himself the “law and order” president where protesters are concerned, many Democratic lawmakers agree the president commuting Stone’s sentence proves otherwise.
Like Pelosi, Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kamala Harris (D.Calif.), and many others have criticized the president for his decision.
See a few of their reactions below:
Trump just commuted Roger Stone’s sentence.
— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) July 11, 2020
Stone lied and intimidated witnesses to hide Trump’s exploitation of the Russian hack of his opponent’s campaign.
With Trump there are now two systems of justice in America:
One for Trump's criminal friends and one for everyone else.
Roger Stone is a criminal who protected Trump and had his sentence commuted because of it. This is yet another example of the blatant corruption & abuse of power that pervades this administration.
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) July 11, 2020
There should not be two justice systems in the U.S.—we can and we must do better.
Donald Trump has abandoned the rule of law and made a mockery of our democracy. He truly is the most corrupt president in history. https://t.co/GA7apdmd3Y
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 11, 2020
Trump commutes the prison sentence of Roger Stone while the officers that killed Breonna Taylor are still free. The two systems of justice in this country must end.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 11, 2020
On Friday evening, Schumer released a brief statement criticizing not only the president but also the Republican Party for allowing his actions.
“The American ideal of equal justice under the law is once again being undermined by a lawless president who regards the Justice Department as his personal plaything.
By refusing to hold President Trump accountable, the Republican Party bears responsibility for his lawlessness.”
Schiff also appeared on “The Rachel Maddow Show” where he blasted the president for his misuse of the United States justice system, as he noted. Describing the day as “another tragic day for American democracy,” Schiff insisted there are “two systems” at work under Trump’s watch.
“There are two systems of justice now in America, one for criminal friends of the president like Michael Flynn and now Roger Stone and one for everybody else,” Schiff said.
See Schiff’s comments below:
Schiff: "There are two systems of justice now in America, one for criminal friends of the president like Michael Flynn and now Roger Stone and one for everybody else." pic.twitter.com/uhdIk6BmWD
— Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) July 11, 2020
Stone was scheduled to begin a 40-month sentence at a federal prison in Jesup, Georgia, on Tuesday.
