As we wait for Trump to be arraigned in Prettyman Courthouse, I thought it worthwhile to list the 16 men who were prosecuted in Prettyman Courthouse that Trump pardoned, and their crimes:
- Scooter Libby: Obstruction of justice and perjury
- David Safavian: Obstruction of justice and false statements
- Mike Flynn: False statements
- Alex Van Der Zwaan: False statements
- George Papadopoulos: False statements
- Paul Slough, Manslaughter (Blackwater Nisour Square)
- Nicholas Slatten: Murder (Blackwater Nisour Square)
- Evan Liberty: Manslaughter (Blackwater Nisour Square)
- Dustin Laurent Heard: Manslaughter (Blackwater Nisour Square)
- Roger Stone: Obstruction of a proceeding, false statements, witness tampering
- Paul Manafort: Conspiracy to defraud the US (money laundering and FARA), conspiracy to obstruct (witness tampering)
- Robert Coughlin: Conflict of interest
- Todd Boulanger: Wire fraud
- Elliot Broidy: Conspiracy to violate FARA
- Douglas Jemal, Wire fraud
- Aviem Sella, Espionage
Four of these men lied to cover up Trump’s own Russian ties; a fifth, the son-in-law of Alfa Bank oligarch German Khan, Alex Van Der Zwaan, lied to cover up Manafort’s past Ukraine graft. A sixth, Elliot Broidy, did fundraising for Trump.
These are Trump’s people.
A lot of Republicans are wailing that Trump shouldn’t be prosecuted in DC. Marsha Blackburn is arguing that Trump should be treated differently than her constituents Lisa Eisenhart and Eric Munchel, who were prosecuted for conspiracy to obstruct the vote count, just like Trump is facing. Tim Scott is arguing that Trump should be treated differently than his constituent George Tenney, who was prosecuted for obstructing the vote count, just like Trump is facing.
But if anything, it is more appropriate to prosecute Trump in DC than Munchel (Zip Tie Guy) and Tenney (who opened the East Door of the Capitol). After all, he was a resident of DC when his alleged crimes were committed.
More importantly, even just the list of those he pardoned make it clear that Prettyman felons are his kind of people. Donald Trump is precisely where he belongs today.