Trump May Have Unintentionally Pardoned Man Indicted for Voter Fraud
WASHINGTON – Former president Donald Trump,79,may have inadvertently granted a pardon to a Pennsylvania man indicted on charges of voting in two states during the 2020 election,raising questions about the scope and execution of the sweeping pardons issued during the final days of his presidency. The potential error centers on the pardon granted to Rudolph Giuliani and appears to encompass a broader list of individuals, possibly including Christopher Laiss of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
The case highlights the complexities of blanket pardons and the potential for unintended consequences, particularly given the expansive nature of the list submitted by TrumpS pardon attorney, Ed Martin. Laiss, who pleaded not guilty, is accused of voting by mail in Pennsylvania and then casting an in-person ballot in Florida during the 2020 election cycle. His lawyers have filed a motion to dismiss the charges, arguing the pardon effectively covers his case, a claim the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has yet to address.
Court documents reveal Laiss relocated from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to Florida in August 2020. He allegedly voted by mail in Pennsylvania before appearing at the polls in Florida on election Day. the indictment remains active as of this writing.
trump’s pardon attorney, Ed Martin, a 55-year-old saint Louis University law school graduate, has publicly questioned the integrity of the 2020 election, stating earlier this month it was the “most fraudulent ever” and promising future prosecutions. This stance appears incongruous with the possibility that his work has inadvertently freed individuals accused of election-related offenses.
Requests for comment from the White House, the Department of Justice, and Laiss’s legal counsel have been made by The Daily Beast. The outcome of Laiss’s motion could set a precedent for interpreting the scope of the pardons issued to Giuliani and others, possibly impacting other similar cases.
