Alice Johnson will soon be a free woman, thanks in large part to Kim Kardashian.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump granted clemency to Johnson, a first-time non-violent drug offender serving a life sentence in a federal prison in Aliceville, Alabama, after Kardashian met with the President to ask for her freedom, Mic reports. Trump offered the pardon reportedly over objections from White House staffers including his counsel Don McGahn; the White House confirmed his decision in a statement labelling Johnson as a "model prisoner" who has "worked hard to rehabilitate herself."
CNN reports Johnson "is expected to be released from prison soon."
"Best news ever," Kardashian wrote on Twitter after learning of the news, adding in a second tweet, "So grateful to @realDonaldTrump, Jared Kushner & to everyone who has showed compassion & contributed countless hours to this important moment for Ms. Alice Marie Johnson."
The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star met with Trump at the White House's Oval Office on May 30 to discuss Johnson's case. The 63-year-old great-grandmother was sentenced to life in prison in 1996 for a her involvement in a cocaine trafficking operation in Memphis, Tennessee, and had served over 21 years of her sentence.
In October 2017, Kardashian learned of Johnson's situation, and tweeted about how she thought it was "unfair." After meeting with Trump, she thanked the President for his time and said that it was her "hope that President will grant clemency to Ms. Alice Marie Johnson."
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According to Mic, Johnson's case is the first of many for Kardashian. She told the news outlet that she plans to become more involved in prison reform issues moving forward. “I think it’s definitely a bigger issue that has to be addressed, and I’m glad that I’m starting with her,” she said.
Criminal justice reform efforts are also reportedly a priority for Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner, who also met with Kardashian during her trip to the White House. Kushner has hosted a series of bipartisan dinners on the topic with his wife, Ivanka Trump, and recently organised a bipartisan prison reform summit at the White House.
And President Trump is also on a real pardon kick right now, The Washington Post has reported. "The presidential pardon holds a special resonance for Trump," WaPo says, "representing one area where he has almost unchecked power as other aspects of his presidency." Sources continued:
A White House official who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity said Trump is “obsessed” with pardons, describing them as the president’s new “favourite thing” to talk about. He may sign a dozen or more in the next two months, this person added.
