U.S. judge dismisses indictment against ex-Trump adviser Bannon, cites pardon

[SouthBayDem]

Source: Reuters

Steve Bannon, the onetime top strategist for former President Donald Trump and recipient of a presidential pardon, on Tuesday won dismissal of an indictment accusing him of defrauding donors to a fund to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in Manhattan said dismissal was "the proper course" in light of the pardon, which Bannon received in the final hours of Trump's presidency.

Prosecutors had argued that instead of dismissing the indictment, the judge should merely dismiss Bannon as one of the four defendants. The defendants had been charged in connection with the alleged siphoning of hundreds of thousands of dollars from the $25 million "We Build the Wall" crowdfunding campaign.

But the judge said the pardon was valid, and that even if Bannon did not formally admit guilt "the issuance of a pardon may carry an imputation of guilt; acceptance a confession of it."

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-judge-dismisses-indictment-against-ex-trump-adviser-bannon-cites-pardon-2021-05-25/

[soothsayer]

1. Boo! And of course he's guilty

[Hugh_Lebowski]

2. What a freaking travesty ... Hey Trumpists, what do you think of being ripped off

And then having Trump pardon the people who ripped you off?

I bet you love it ... cause you're Cult Members.

Perhaps state charges are possible here?

Pretty sure fraud and theft are illegal in every state.

[catsudon]

25. i always laugh at this

that Trump pardons so many black rappers and yet let all the white capital uprising terrorist rot in jail.

[C_U_L8R]

3. Oh, the sour tears of magats who got suckered

As awful as it is to see Bannon skate again, at least there's solace knowing the magat morons are gnashing and frothing in bewildered cognitive distress. What chumps.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Pardons so should be limited to convictions

like commutations. How do you pardon someone for everything they ever did? It's like a blanket secret agent license to do whatever you want. We'll get more of this behavior since blanket pardons now have a green light.

Why didn't Nixon pardon everyone? Or any other president with family on board? Billy Beer?

I just wonder if pardons have been expanded beyond original intent of the Founders. They would not have issued open season passes on criminality.

[PoliticAverse]

12. There was a discussion of the possible abuse of pardons when the constitution was being written...

The remedy was supposed to be impeachment.

[Progressive Jones]

5. At least all of the victims were really shitty people. nt

[bdamomma]

6. Was the

Judge a McConnell /Trump plant.

[Fullduplexxx]

10. Obama appointee

[bdamomma]

11. oops

but why let Bannon off?

[elleng]

13. 'dismissal was "the proper course" in light of the pardon, which Bannon received'

[bdamomma]

17. yeah

I read that.

[Evolve Dammit]

7. Pardons should be used for illegally abused, wrongfully accused, etc. Not cuz they are

your buds and faves. There has to be some sort of standard and not just subject to the whims of a despot prez.

[maxsolomon]

8. there was a formal process involving DOJ review

but it wasn't law. it it was just a "norm", so Trump broke it, and in so doing, destroyed the norm.

WTF does he care about precedent? that's for suckers.

[Evolve Dammit]

22. Sounds right. He is extremely dangerous to our country and needs to be "locked up."

[maxsolomon]

23. I'm too cynical about America to think he'll ever see the inside of a prison.

He's rich, he's white, he's the former POTUS.

Best we can hope for is a stiff fine (he won't care), public shame (he's incapable of feeling it), and incapacitation from natural causes such as COPD, a stroke, or dementia.

[Evolve Dammit]

24. I hear ya.

[marble falls]

9. Would that include acts like murder? If in the company of of a murderer I get 'contact' immunity.

[cstanleytech]

21. Yes, there are virtually no limits to pardons by a President for federal crimes.

[SunImp]

14. I guess that asshole is getting drunk and laughing it up now

[Mr.Bill]

15. So, is this a green light

for him to steal any other money that is left there?

[ZonkerHarris]

16. Don't worry, Bannon will crime again.

[SunSeeker]

20. Yup. Just give Bannon a little time. He'll crime again and Trump won't be able to pardon him.

Same with Manafort.

[Polybius]

18. We might not like it, but it was an excellent decision

The judge was appointed by Obama, and understands that the law says we must dismiss the indictment in this case. He was pardoned, like it or not.

[Turbineguy]

19. That sort of

puts the turd in trump's pocket.