A groundbreaking appointment by President Donald Trump puts a formerly incarcerated individual in charge of federal pardons.
According to Daily Caller, Alice Marie Johnson, who served 22 years in prison for a non-violent drug offense before receiving a presidential pardon, has been named as Trump's "pardon czar" on Thursday.
The appointment has garnered praise from unexpected quarters, including CNN political commentator Van Jones, who appeared on "On Brand with Donny Deutsch" to discuss the significance of Johnson's new role. Jones emphasized the importance of having someone with firsthand experience in the federal prison system overseeing the pardon process.
Johnson's journey from serving a life sentence to leading the pardon office represents a significant shift in federal justice administration.
Her involvement in a multi-million dollar cocaine trafficking operation in the 1990s led to her imprisonment, but her case gained national attention when reality TV star Kim Kardashian advocated for her release.
Trump initially commuted Johnson's sentence in June 2018 following Kardashian's White House visit to discuss criminal justice reform. The president later granted Johnson a full pardon during his first term, setting the stage for her current appointment.
Van Jones, who worked with the Trump administration on criminal justice reform, shared his thoughts on Johnson's appointment. He stated:
He put Miss Alice Johnson — the formerly incarcerated black woman who he freed while working with Kim Kardashian — he just put her in charge of pardons. That's huge. Somebody who's actually been incarcerated, been in the federal system, understands how the Department of Justice screws over people who should be coming home — some people who shouldn't come home, but a lot of people that should come home and they get screwed by the pardon office.
The appointment builds upon previous criminal justice reform efforts during Trump's first term. The First Step Act passed in 2018 with bipartisan support, implemented changes allowing non-violent offenders to reduce their sentences through earned time credits.
Jones has previously acknowledged Trump's role in advancing criminal justice reform. In a 2019 statement, he remarked:
We've got to give Trump credit where credit is due. He did fight hard to pass the bill and he made it possible for other Republicans to also be in the pro-criminal justice camp.
The impact of these reforms could influence voter demographics in the upcoming November election. Radio personality Charlamagne Tha God suggested to The New York Times in May 2024 that Trump's criminal justice initiatives might sway Black voter support in his favor, citing the tangible effects of prisoner releases on families across the country.
Alice Marie Johnson, a former federal inmate turned presidential pardon office leader, now oversees the evaluation and processing of federal pardons under President Trump's second term.
Her appointment on Thursday marks a dramatic shift in the administration of presidential pardons, bringing personal experience with incarceration to the decision-making process.
The move has received bipartisan praise and could potentially influence both criminal justice reform and voter sentiment in the upcoming election cycle.
