As Mueller Hits Stride, Conservatives Urge Trump To Consider Pardons

Conservative advocacy groups have renewed calls for President Donald Trump to pardon those implicated in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, citing allegations of partisan sabotage.

The push comes as the Mueller inquiry notches important victories. A grand jury in Washington, D.C., issued sweeping indictments against 13 Russian nationals for interference operations on Friday. The Los Angeles Times reported just two days later that former Trump campaign aide Rick Gates has agreed to cooperate with the special counsel.

Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, a government oversight group, said the president should seriously consider clemency for his associates given the alleged anti-Trump bias of Justice Department investigators. Several lawyers who joined Mueller’s team have donated to Democratic candidates, while FBI agents assessing Russian sabotage efforts regularly traded texts attacking Trump’s candidacy.