President Donald Trump said he is considering pardons for men convicted or charged in the 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and blow up a Michigan bridge. Speaking Wednesday, May 28, at U.S. attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro’s swearing-in ceremony, Trump said, “I will take a look at it. It’s been brought to my attention.”
He described the case as a possible “railroad job” and suggested that some defendants “said some stupid things.” Trump made the remarks as talk grows around Whitmer’s potential run as a 2028 Democratic contender, fueling speculation about Trump’s political motives. The president recently issued a series of other clemency decisions, including a pardon for former GOP congressman Michael Grimm. White House officials said more are coming in the days ahead.
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President Donald Trump’s pardon authority does not apply to state-level convictions. Several individuals involved in the 2020 Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot were prosecuted in state courts.
How did courts rule in the Whitmer kidnapping case?
Federal prosecutors initially charged six men with conspiring to abduct Governor Whitmer. A jury found Barry Croft Jr. and Adam Fox guilty, and a judge sentenced them to more than a decade in prison. Two others pleaded guilty, and a judge also sentenced them, as well. A jury acquitted the final two at trial.
In separate proceedings, state courts convicted several other individuals on related charges, which fall beyond the scope of Trump’s pardon power.
Defense lawyers argued that their clients never intended to carry out the plan and that FBI agents and informants entrapped them. A federal appeals court recently upheld the convictions of Croft and Fox and rejected claims they were denied a fair entrapment defense.
Can Trump pardon all individuals connected to the case?
Trump’s pardon power only applies to federal offenses. Several individuals involved in the kidnapping plot were convicted in state court on related charges, where Trump has no jurisdiction.
The case gained national attention in 2020, when Trump publicly clashed with Whitmer and tweeted “LIBERATE MICHIGAN” during statewide protests over COVID-19 restrictions.
Newly appointed pardon attorney Ed Martin confirmed the Justice Department is reviewing the federal cases for possible clemency.
Why did Trump pardon Michael Grimm?
Trump also issued a full pardon on Wednesday, May 28 for former Rep. Michael Grimm, a New York Republican convicted of tax fraud in 2014. Grimm had admitted to concealing more than $900,000 in income from his Manhattan restaurant, paying employees off the books and filing false tax returns. He also acknowledged lying under oath while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Grimm pleaded guilty to one count of aiding the filing of a false tax return and resigned from the House in early 2015. He served eight months in prison and attempted a political comeback in 2018, but was unsuccessful.
Federal prosecutors said Grimm employed unauthorized workers, misled tax and insurance agencies and submitted falsified payroll data to reduce his liabilities. He admitted that, while under oath in a civil deposition, he denied paying employees in cash, despite knowing that he had. His conduct led to federal, state and insurance fund losses totaling between $80,000 and $200,000.
Grimm’s pardon follows a recent string of clemency actions by Trump, including pardons for criminals convicted in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and others with political or personal ties.
