New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated that President-elect Donald Trump is unlikely to receive a pardon for his criminal conviction unless he first displays remorse.
During a news conference on Wednesday, the Democrat had the audience amused when she was queried about possibly using her power to pardon Trump. “In the state of New York, there is a process for pardoning. It is extensive,” Hochul remarked. “It entails several elements—one being remorse.”
“When I make those significant decisions, no one will receive preferential treatment or be disadvantaged,” she elaborated. “We examine petitions that are submitted throughout the year. Thus, no one is granted special treatment, nor is anyone penalized more than others.”
She emphasized that there exists a “process that everyone must undergo” regardless of whether “you’re the president or anyone else.”
Trump, who takes pride in his New York roots, was convicted earlier this year on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records to hide a $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, in exchange for her silence regarding claims of a decade-old affair. Trump denies having had any sexual encounter with Daniels.
Rather than exhibiting remorse, the president-elect has devoted months to challenging his conviction. On Monday, a judge dismissed Trump’s request to have his conviction overturned, citing the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity.
Prosecutors have suggested they might postpone any sentencing until the conclusion of Trump’s second term, as he cannot be jailed while serving as president.
Pardons for president-related crimes only cover federal offenses, so Trump’s conviction in New York state necessitates approval from the governor.
In a separate attempt to dismiss the case, Trump’s legal team claimed earlier this month to have acquired evidence of “serious juror misconduct.”
While Trump’s lawyers did not specify the nature of the alleged misconduct in a December 3 letter made public on Tuesday, as reported by NBC News, they nonetheless urged for the case to be tossed out.
“This conduct is entirely inappropriate and clearly shows that the verdicts in this matter are as unreliable as DA Bragg’s assurance to safeguard Manhattan residents against violent crime,” the lawyers, Todd Blanche and Emile Bove, stated.
In response to the letter, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office labeled the allegations of misconduct as “vague” and asserted that their summary of the events, which wasn’t disclosed to the public, “contains inaccuracies.”
