Van Jones praises Trump for very good choice with new pardon czar pick

Former Obama adviser Van Jones praised President Donald Trump for his newly appointed “pardon czar,” Alice Marie Johnson.On Thursday, Trump appointed Johnson, a woman he pardoned during his first term, as “pardon czar” during a Black History Month event at the White House.Johnson had previously been convicted of nonviolent drug trafficking in Memphis, Tennessee and, after serving 21 years, her life sentence was commuted by Trump.Jones praised the president for this latest appointment as he spoke to liberal commentator Donny Deutsch on Monday’s episode of the “On Brand” podcast.“He put Miss Alice Johnson – the formerly incarcerated Black woman who he freed while working with Kim Kardashian – he just put her in charge of pardons.

That’s huge,” Jones said.“Somebody who has actually been incarcerated, been in the federal system, understands how the Department of Justice screws over people who should be coming home – some people who shouldn’t come home – but a lot of people that should come home, and they get screwed by the pardon office.

She’s gonna fix that.”“As somebody who has worked on criminal justice, as you know, for 30 years, having someone who’s a formerly incarcerated person in charge of going through all these pardons and making sure that people get a fair shot – I think that’s a very good thing,” he continued.Deutsch quoted a post Jones had written in late January, when he said, “Trump’s heart CAN be touched.He has been moved, many times, to help downtrodden individuals — whether in his employ or in federal prisons (First Step Act).

So don’t assume that moral appeals can never work with Trump.In the right forum and circumstances, they can and do.”Jones stood by his words describing Trump’s first term in office, saying that Trump brought formerly incarcerated individuals to the White House and allowed them to speak at press conferences.

“I don’t remember Biden or Obama or Clinton doing anything...