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Reports: Trump to issue pardons, commutations before leaving office

Trump held a meeting at the White House on Sunday to finalize the list of pardons with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, according to CNN and the Washington Post.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump plans to pardon or reduce the prison sentences of more than 100 people before he leaves office this week, according to national news reports.

Trump held a meeting at the White House on Sunday to finalize the list of pardons, according to CNN and the Washington Post. The meeting involved his son-in-law Jared Kushner, his daughter Ivanka Trump and other aides.

In late December, the president pardoned a host of former aides and associates, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn, former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and the father of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

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Sources told CNN that Trump plans to issue pardons for white collar criminals, "high-profile rappers and others."

Bloomberg reported pardons could come for Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former Fox News host who's dating Trump Jr., Trump attorney and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and senior adviser Stephen Miller.

Credit: AP
President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021 in Washington. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Trump is also considering a final round of pardons and clemencies that may be even closer to home. As Trump continues to face legal challenges, the prospect that he may try to pardon himself, other family members or senior aides remains the subject of internal White House discussion.

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The New York Times reported that Trump has brought it up several times since the election, but it's not clear if he has discussed it since the Jan. 6 riot where a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. 

Even if Trump can pardon himself, those powers are limited to federal crimes and not state crimes. State prosecutors in New York have reportedly been looking into Trump and his businesses for possible financial crimes.

Among those he's reportedly also considering pardoning are his three eldest children -- Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump. A pardon is also under consideration for Ivanka's husband, Jared Kushner.

The Washington Post reports that Trump's children have not been charged with any crimes at this time, and they are not known to be under federal investigation.

Legal expert and University of Missouri professor Frank O. Bowman told the TEGNA VERIFY team last month that a president cannot pardon someone for crimes that might be committed after the pardon is made.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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