At an event touting the success of criminal justice reform legislation, President Trump thanked the media for highlighting the case of Alice Marie Johnson, an ex-convict whose prison sentence Trump commuted last year following a celebrity-backed lobbying effort.
“Thank you for believing in me,” Johnson told Trump at a celebration of ex-convicts released under president Trump’s criminal justice reform law, the First Step Act. The president was in a buoyant mood as he took the podium to thank the media for bringing public attention to her story.
Trump was joined by Johnson and a number of ex-convicts released under the legislation at an emotional event at the White House to celebrate his administration’s criminal justice reform efforts. Trump announced that he wants to do more to help formerly incarcerated Americans stay out of jail with a second prison reform package, the Second Step Act, aimed at reducing unemployment rates for ex-convicts.
Trump promises additional reforms
Trump hailed the First Step Act as an example of Americans working together across political divides to prove that “America believes in redemption” whether achieved through the use of sentence commutations or perhaps via his own presidential pardon power. Redemption was indeed the theme Monday as emotional former inmates rose to share their stories.
“Two months ago, I was in a prison cell. And I’m in the White House. That’s continuing to make America great again,” said ex-inmate Gregory Allen.
The East Room was full of beaming faces as the president embraced a visibly emotional Johnson, who served 21 years in prison before Trump commuted her sentence last spring. Johnson seized the opportunity to thank the president for showing clemency. Trump commuted Johnson’s sentence in a separate, highly publicized case before his criminal justice reform package made it through Congress last December.
“I want to thank our incredible president, President Donald John Trump,” Johnson said. “I just told him I finally get a chance to hug you and properly say thank you for believing in me. And I’d like to thank all of the advocates who have fought so long for me, who have been working behind the scenes to magnify my case.”
Trump’s action on Johnson’s case occurred after Kim Kardashian lobbied on her behalf in a meeting with Trump last year. Johnson, who attended Trump’s State of the Union address, also thanked the media for “being kind to me.”
Trump was in an ebullient mood as he leaned in and quipped, “Are you sure?” prompting chuckles from the audience. Trump followed up on Johnson’s thank-you with an unusual expression of gratitude to the media. “Alice said ‘I want to thank the media.’ I sort of bent over and said, ‘are you sure?’ And I do too. I think it’s fantastic. That’s great,” he said.
Second Step Act
Congress passed the First Step Act in December after overcoming opposition from some hardline Republicans, and Trump signed it into law. The law includes reforms in the realm of mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenses, and it targets disparities in sentencing for crack and powder cocaine offenses. It also provides rehabilitation programs including jobs training and drug treatment to help ex-convicts stay out of jail.
Trump hailed the First Step Act, which he said led to the release of 500 inmates so far, but added that he will do more to help ex-convicts adjust to life after prison. Citing statistics showing that the unemployment rates are five times higher for ex-cons, Trump said his administration will aim to cut that rate into the single digits within five years. The White House said Trump’s budget would include $500 million to help former inmates find work and reintegrate to society.
“Today, I’m announcing that the Second Step Act will be focused on successful reentry and reduced unemployment for Americans with past criminal records, and that’s what we’re starting right away,” Trump said, adding that his administration would “encourage employers to adopt second chance hiring practices.”
Trump was optimistic as he bid good luck to the former inmates at the gathering.
“You’re gonna have an incredible future,” he said.
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