Trump's Terms Trump issues pardons to allies linked to January 6
Nov 10, 2025
Miles Parks, NPR's voting correspondent, dives into the controversial pardons issued by President Trump for 77 individuals, including Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows. He examines the implications for the legal challenges surrounding the 2020 election. Parks clarifies the role of alternate electors and discusses the lack of federal charges against many. Additionally, he provides insight into the ongoing state-level cases and how unfounded fraud claims are shaping election policies. This illuminating conversation unveils the tangled web of politics and law.
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Broad Pardons For 2020 Election Allies
- President Trump issued pardons covering 77 people tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
- Many named, like Giuliani, Meadows, Powell, Ellis, and Eastman, have federal exposure but haven't been federally charged.
Alternate Electors And State Liability
- Many of the pardoned were involved in creating alternate slates of electors after the 2020 election.
- A federal pardon doesn't affect state prosecutions where several have been charged.
Prosecutions Have Largely Faltered
- State cases have faced setbacks, including dismissed charges and removed prosecutors.
- Overall few people faced criminal repercussions for the plot to overturn the 2020 election, and the pardons cement that reality.