Former Obama advisor Van Jones praised President Donald Trump for his newly-appointed “pardon czar,” Alice Marie Johnson.
On Thursday, Trump appointed Johnson, a girl he pardoned throughout his first time period, as “pardon czar” throughout a Black Historical past Month occasion on the White Home. Johnson had beforehand been convicted of nonviolent drug trafficking in Memphis, Tennessee and, after serving 21 years, her life sentence was commuted by Trump.Â
Jones praised the president for this newest appointment as he spoke to liberal commentator Donny Deutsch on Monday’s episode of the “On Model” podcast.
“He put Miss Alice Johnson – the previously incarcerated Black girl who he freed whereas working with Kim Kardashian – he simply put her in command of pardons. That’s large,” Jones mentioned. “Any person who has really been incarcerated, been within the federal system, understands how the Division of Justice screws over individuals who ought to be coming dwelling – some individuals who shouldn’t come dwelling – however lots of people that ought to come dwelling, and so they get screwed by the pardon workplace. She’s gonna repair that.”
WHO IS ALICE MARIE JOHNSON, THE GREAT-GRANDMOTHER TRUMP GRANTED CLEMENCY TO?
Former Obama adviser Van Jones spoke about President  Trump’s previous and current time period within the White Home. (Screenshot/”On Model” podcast YouTube)
“As any individual who has labored on prison justice, as you understand, for 30 years, having somebody who’s a previously incarcerated particular person in command of going by all these pardons and ensuring that individuals get a good shot – I believe that’s an excellent factor,” he continued.
Deutsch quoted a publish Jones had written in late January, when he mentioned, “Trump’s coronary heart CAN be touched. He has been moved, many instances, to assist downtrodden people — whether or not in his make use of or in federal prisons (First Step Act). So don’t assume that ethical appeals can by no means work with Trump. In the fitting discussion board and circumstances, they’ll and do.”
Jones stood by his phrases describing Trump’s first time period in workplace, saying that Trump introduced previously incarcerated people to the White Home and allowed them to talk at press conferences. “I do not keep in mind Biden or Obama or Clinton doing something remotely like that.”
ALICE MARIE JOHNSON CALLS FOR TRUMP TO PARDON NONVIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS, PRAISES ‘UNSUNG HERO’ IVANKA
Alice Marie Johnson, who had her sentence commuted by U.S. President Donald Trump (L) after serving 21 years in jail for cocaine trafficking, thanks the press throughout a celebration of the First Step Act within the East Room of the White Home April 01, 2019 in Washington, DC. The First Step Act handed Congress with bipartisan help in December 2018, with greater than 500 inmates launched because of this. Trump praised the reform laws as proof that the USA “believes in redemption.” (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Pictures)
Nevertheless, Jones nonetheless had criticism of Trump.Â
“Now I believe we’re in a five-alarm hearth and I might be radically, rabidly against even my beloved Barack Obama doing these things. We’ve got a system. It isn’t good, however it’s designed to work a selected manner in order that you do not have a king, you do not have any individual who simply has unchecked energy, and he is simply, you understand, he is grabbing authorities that aren’t allowed,” he mentioned.Â
Johnson has spoken positively about her function in Trump’s administration, telling Fox Information about how keen she is to get began.
Van Jones delivers a speech on the 2019 African Touchdown Commemorative Ceremony, observing the 400 12 months anniversary of the arrival of the primary enslaved Africans in Virginia, in Hampton, Virginia, U.S., August 24, 2019. REUTERS/Michael A. McCoy (REUTERS/Michael A. McCoy)
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“I plan to satisfy the belief that the president has positioned in me,” Johnson mentioned. “He is given me particular marching orders and, really, I have been engaged on this nonstop since my launch. That is actually a continuation of the work that I’ve already been doing. I’ve introduced many pardon instances earlier than the president previously and one factor I can say about President Trump [is], he was very inquisitive about their households. He wished to know if they’ve a stable reentry program in place.”
Fox Information’ Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
