Democrat Governor Says Trump Must Do What?
New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) recently commented on the potential for a pardon in the criminal case involving former President Donald Trump, suggesting that any such move would require him to demonstrate remorse for his actions. Hochul, speaking at a press conference, emphasized that the process for pardoning someone in New York State is extensive and involves a number of key factors, including an acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
“There is a pardoning process in the state of New York. It is lengthy,” Hochul explained. “One of the elements of that process is remorse.” This statement highlights the challenge Trump could face if he hopes to have his conviction overturned or reduced. Hochul went on to stress that every individual, regardless of their status, would be treated fairly in the state’s legal system. “No one will be treated any better, or any worse, by me when I make those life-altering decisions,” she said, underlining her commitment to impartiality in handling pardons.
The remarks come after a New York judge, Juan Merchan, dismissed Trump’s latest legal challenge to overturn his conviction in the hush money case. The former president had argued that evidence presented during his trial conflicted with a recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity, but Merchan ruled against him.
Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016, just before the election. This marked the first criminal conviction of a former president in U.S. history.
However, because this is a state-level conviction, a presidential pardon—whether from President Joe Biden or Trump himself if re-elected—would not apply. Only federal offenses can be pardoned by a president. As such, Trump may find himself navigating a lengthy legal process in New York, without the option of a presidential pardon to undo the consequences of his conviction.