Rudy Giuliani - AP - 5-19-2023

President Donald Trump has pardoned his former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, onetime chief of staff Mark Meadows and others accused of backing the Republican’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Government pardon attorney Ed Martin posted on social media late Sunday a signed proclamation of the pardons. Others granted a “full, complete and unconditional pardon” include conservative attorneys Sidney Powell and John Eastman. The proclamation explicitly says the pardon does not apply to Trump. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes, and none of the Trump allies was charged in a federal case. While the pardons may have no immediate legal impact, experts warn they send a message to those who might interfere in future elections.