May 16, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Trump pardons ex-media mogul Conrad Black and former California politician

Conrad Black. Photo: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

President Trump issued pardons for ex-media mogul Conrad Black and former California politician Patrick Nolan on Wednesday evening.

Catch up quick: Black, a Canadian-born publisher was found guilty of 4 counts of fraud in 2007 for plotting to steal millions of dollars from the sale of newspapers owned by Hollinger Inc., where he was CEO and chairman. He was sentenced to 6 years in prison, and served more than 3, later deported from the U.S. His media empire once included the Chicago Sun-Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Jerusalem Post and other papers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Last year, Black published a book titled "Donald J. Trump: A President Like No Other."

“Lord Black’s case has attracted broad support from many high-profile individuals who have vigorously vouched for his exceptional character."
— the White House said in a statement announcing the pardon
  • Trump also issued a full pardon to Nolan, who, after serving a 33-month sentence on charges of public corruption, became an advocate for criminal justice reform and victims’ rights.

Go deeper: Trump pardons former U.S. soldier convicted of killing Iraqi prisoner<br/>

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Axios
Updated 5 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 10 p.m. ET: 32,471,119 — Total deaths: 987,593 — Total recoveries: 22,374,557 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 10 p.m. ET: 7,032,524 — Total deaths: 203,657 — Total recoveries: 2,727,335 — Total tests: 99,483,712 — Map.
  3. States: "We’re not closing anything going forward": Florida fully lifts COVID restaurant restrictions — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam tests positive for coronavirus.
  4. Health: Young people accounted for 20% of cases this summer.
  5. Business: Coronavirus has made airports happier places —The expiration of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance looms.
  6. Education: Where bringing students back to school is most risky.
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What he's saying: The ad — which began Friday night, and is a follow-up to "Fresh Start" — draws from a Biden speech earlier in the week in Manitowoc, Wisconsin:

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Trump prepares to announce Amy Coney Barrett as Supreme Court replacement

Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Photo: Matt Cashore/Notre Dame University via Reuters

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Why it matters: Barrett would push the already conservative court further and harder to the right, for decades to come, on the most important issues in American politics — from abortion to the limits of presidential power. If confirmed, she would give conservatives a 6-3 majority on the high court.

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