Former President Joe Biden's last-minute pardons before President Donald Trump's swearing-in Monday included those for two Democrat politicians who served time in prison after convictions on charges that included income tax evasion and campaign violations.
Pardons were issued, in addition to Biden's family members, to Gerald Lundergan and Ernest Cromartie, both of whom Biden lauded for their community actions after their releases from prison.
Lundergan, a former Democrat member of the Kentucky Legislature, was convicted in 2019 of campaign violations for raising money for his daughter Alison Lundergan Grimes as she campaigned against Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
"Mr. Lundergan is now 77 years old and suffered a debilitating stroke before serving his sentence," Biden said in a statement. "Since his release from prison, he has demonstrated remorse, raised money for an in-patient treatment facility for people recovering from substance abuse, and helped establish a nonprofit foundation dedicated to help inmates reenter the workforce."
Lundergan was sentenced in 2020 to 21 months in prison after he was convicted in 2018. He reported to prison in November 2021 and was released from custody in January 2023 without serving his full sentence, reported Lexington NBC affiliate WLEX.
Lundergan's attorney J. Guthrie True provided a statement from Lundergan, in which he said he took responsibility for his actions and is "working to make a positive difference in the lives of the most vulnerable, including the homeless, those recovering from addiction, and those re-entering society."
Cromartie, a former city assemblyman from Columbia, South Carolina, pleaded guilty in 2010 to two counts of aggravated structuring and also income tax evasion for failing to pay more than $25,000 in federal income taxes.
He also admitted to making hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash deposits, while keeping the amount just under the level that would have required him to report the transactions, according to reports.
"Mr. Cromartie has dedicated his life to public service," said Biden. "Since his release from prison, he has established a scholarship for underprivileged youth and is active in his church and faith community. Mr. Cromartie’s supporters praise his leadership and compassion."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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