The spirit of bipartisanship in the Senate is not entirely lost, especially concerning Ghislaine Maxwell.
On Wednesday, Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) put forward a resolution stating that Maxwell should not receive a presidential pardon or clemency.
“It’s frankly horrifying that Trump would entertain the idea of clemency for even a second for a convicted sex trafficker,” Rosen declared during a Senate floor speech, according to The Hill.
This resolution received unanimous approval from both Democrats and Republicans.
Rosen added, “If Republicans advance Todd Blanche’s nomination tomorrow in the Judiciary Committee, this is the least they can do to make their opposition to a Maxwell pardon clear.”
Maxwell, aged 64 and known for her long association with child sex predator Jeffrey Epstein, was sentenced to 20 years in 2022 for crimes including conspiracy to entice a minor to travel for illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport a minor for criminal sexual activity, and transporting a minor for criminal sexual activity.
Despite her conviction, there is concern among lawmakers that her connection to President Donald Trump, a longtime friend of Epstein, might lead to a pardon.
Trump heightened these concerns by wishing her well after her 2020 arrest and by not ruling out a pardon when asked about it last July.
Furthermore, Blanche, who was Trump’s personal lawyer and is the current acting attorney general, moved Maxwell from a federal prison to a minimum-security facility after she reportedly discussed her relationship with Epstein with him.
Blanche has stated he will not recommend a pardon for Maxwell. However, Trump has not definitively refused, and Maxwell’s lawyer continues to seek clemency.
The Hill highlights that while Rosen’s resolution received unanimous support, it is not legally binding. In previous statements, Trump and the White House have indicated that no consideration has been given to a pardon of Maxwell.
