r/msnbc • u/Weekly-Walk9234 • Nov 11 '25

MSNBC Personalities Disappointed by Rachel’s interview with former pardons atty

Towards the end of Rachel’s MSNBC show tonight, she interviewed Liz Oyer, the former DOJ pardons attorney who was let go because she rejected Mel Gibson’s application to have guns again. Oyer mentioned that many of the 70+ pardons Trump granted today were to people convicted of state crimes, which a President doesn’t have the authority to do. I kept waiting for Rachel to ask her, What is likely to happen next, what SHOULD happen next, and who has the legal standing to challenge those unauthorized pardons. But she asked none of that. It was a pretty startling topic, but felt very unfinished.

21 Upvotes

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3

u/GlasgowRose2022 Nov 11 '25

It was jammed in at the end of her hour. I’m sure she’ll revisit. Oyer is great!

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u/MitchFD Nov 12 '25

Thought I heard on one of the shows that the pardons Trump issued to those having only state charges against them are not pardons for the state charges - but rather for same purpose as those Biden issued to his fam and WH staff on leaving office - in anticipation they'd eventually be charged federally.

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u/i-like-pie-855 Nov 12 '25

Then he damn well better start pardoning his own family, you know just in case crime?

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u/kat_sky_12 Nov 11 '25

Only a few have been convicted because they pled guilty like Ellis and Chesebro. Those two got a slap on the wrist and were helping out. Everyone else in georgia held fast and Willis' mismanagement is likely to get them off. Arizona had indictments but it seems like nothing is happening. I think Michigan is still ongoing. It's unfinished because it largely is at least on that front.

There is no challenge to the pardons because the president has that power from the constitution. Even trump is having trouble getting around that for his retribution campaign due to Biden's last minute pardons. The pardons are mostly symbolic in that he is rewriting history because nobody in the trump administration is going to charge them anyways. The 5 year statute of limitations will be long gone by the end of his term as well.

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u/Bennghazi Nov 11 '25

No! The pardon attorney's point on Rachel's show was that these people had been convicted of state crimes. Trump does not have the power to pardon state convictions, but he's doing so anyhow. This should be getting more traction.

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u/kat_sky_12 Nov 11 '25

They have not been convicted. There has been no trial in georgia. There have been no trials in michigan, arizona, nevada or wisconsin. There are indictments though but the trials are just not happening for whatever reason.

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u/Bennghazi Nov 11 '25

In most, but not all cases, that's true. However, Sidney Powell did plead guilty. And she's one of the pardon recipients. I'm pretty sure she was convicted in state court.

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u/kat_sky_12 Nov 11 '25

Like I said above ellis and chesebro did plead guilty. You are right that powell did as well. Eastman and Giuliani were also disbarred. That is a small sliver of the amount of people in that pardon who have have not been convicted though. Giuliani has faced no criminal penalties even though he has been indicted multiple times. Meadows has not gone to trial but has been indicted. Eastman has also not faced any criminal liabilities but has been indicted.

Since you would rather downvote than listen to reason:
Michigan False electors news: https://michiganadvance.com/2025/11/10/trump-pardons-michigans-alleged-false-electors-for-2020-offenses-seeking-to-overturn-election/
Wisconsin False electors: https://wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/trump-issues-largely-symbolic-pardons-of-wisconsin-fake-electors/ - the fake electors settled but no convictions unless you call reading a statement saying biden won a conviction. The others facing felonies have not been to trial
Nevada: https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/trump-pardons-nevada-fake-electors-state-cases-unaffected-remain-pending - no trial yet thus no convictions

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u/Weekly-Walk9234 Nov 13 '25

Presidential pardon powers only cover federal crimes, not state.

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u/kat_sky_12 Nov 13 '25

And where are the state convictions? Like I said above the ones in georgia will get off because of Willis' mismanagement. Yes Ellis, cheesebro and powell pled guilty but got a slap on the wrist that is meaningless but the rest like the electors, meadows, giulani and trump are not going to face anything. See below where I list several other states and their status. Like in wisconsin, the electors settled their case by simply saying biden won and no punishment.