Kim Kardashian bombarded with political requests after successfully lobbying for Alice Marie Johnson
Kim Kardashian has succeeded in her quest to free Alice Marie Johnson, the 63-year-old grandmother serving a life sentence for a first-time drug offense.
After meeting with the reality star in the Oval Office last week, President Trump granted clemency to Johnson. The White House released an official statement saying that Johnson had “accepted responsibility for her past behavior.”
“Today, President Donald J. Trump granted a commutation to Alice Marie Johnson, a 63-year-old grandmother who has served almost 22 years in Federal prison for a first-time criminal offense. While this Administration will always be very tough on crime, it believes that those who have paid their debt to society and worked hard to better themselves while in prison deserve a second chance.”
Kardashian excitedly tweeted the news, writing, “BEST NEWS EVER,” along with a message of gratitude to both the president and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner.
The reality star also revealed that she had the opportunity to personally give Johnson the news.
The phone call I just had with Alice will forever be one of my best memories. Telling her for the first time and hearing her screams while crying together is a moment I will never forget.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) June 6, 2018
Kardashian became aware of Johnson’s story last year after seeing Mic’s viral Facebook video profiling the grandmother. Johnson was convicted in 1996 for her involvement in a multimillion-dollar cocaine ring. Though Johnson had had no criminal record, she was sentenced to life in prison with no parole.
Johnson had applied for clemency three times under the Obama administration but was repeatedly denied. One week after Kardashian personally lobbied on her behalf at the White House, her request was granted.
Immediately after announcing the news, Kardashian again went on Twitter, vowing to help others in the same way she helped Johnson. “I hope to continue this important work by working together with organizations who have been fighting this fight for much longer than I have and deserve the recognition,” she wrote.
Though she didn’t specifically announce which organizations or causes she hoped to lobby for, several Twitter users filled in the blanks. They urged Kardashian to fight both for and against certain political issues, including gun control, the devastation left by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, the current U.S. practice that has separated hundreds of immigrant children from their mothers, and other special-interest issues.
Hey Kim Kardashian, any chance you can help the babies and children in cages after being ripped from their mothers' arms? Because I guess that's where we are now. Nobody else is getting through.
— Randi Mayem Singer (@rmayemsinger) June 6, 2018
@KimKardashian hey now can you talk to the President about gun control? Clearly he listens to you and not the rest of us! https://t.co/ndqIu9u53O
— Mary Ellen White (@MaryEL419) June 6, 2018
All righty, Kim Kardashian: Can we have a minute about Puerto Rico?
— Mary Babic (@MaryBabic) June 6, 2018
We need to remove the consumer reporting factor for people seeking jobs! #LivingWage is important to not reoffend, and set ones self up in a capitalistic society.
— MonopolySNOB (@BaronViceroy101) June 6, 2018
Let’s bring federal prisoner Connie Farris Home!! 73 years old!!
— PrisonReformMovement(#August21) (@PrisonReformMvt) June 6, 2018
Poor people need better legal representation and not bottom feeders who give the lowest bid. If any system should be totally free to use, it should be the justice system. People shouldn't have to pay the state just to be free or be locked up if they can't.
— Always (@NymbusNox) June 6, 2018
Now get the armenian genocide recognized!!
— lil suzie vert (@maybesuzieknows) June 6, 2018
I’ll start: Project Innocence
— Lisa Kelly (@aberdeen40b) June 6, 2018
The fight to #endmoneybail could use your help. Too many people with petty, non violent charges are in jail ONLY because they don’t have the money to get out.
— Still Lisa (@StillLisa) June 6, 2018
IMPORTANT SUGGESTION! Have Trump start committee Fairness In Sentencing Act, to look into minorities in prison for unfair term limits compared to whites and commute their sentence if over the correct time.
— Loretta Ceee (@lorettaceee) June 6, 2018
OK girl here's a list of what u need u2 #lead on: #blacklivesmatter #healthcare #immigration #daca #tps #equalpay #paidfamilyleave #unions #education #childcare #predatorylending #schooltojailpipeline #guncontrol #abortionrights #votingrights Pick as many as u like -thanksies!!
— Lina Bracero (@LinaBracero) June 6, 2018
Watch: The internet reactions to Kellyanne Conway calling Trump “commander of cheese” are as glorious as you’d expect:
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