RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Out of thousands of applications for a pardon from President Donald Trump, every one of those petitioners are waiting to see if theirs is approved.
“This is a relatively simple one and you can see all the work that goes into it,” said attorney Donald Vaughan as he showed files of paperwork.
It is a case the Greensboro lawyer, who also teaches the subject at Wake Forest School of Law, said involves a local retired firefighter and veteran who found two gift cards in the trash can at a post office and used them.
“He has no other criminal record whatsoever except took two of these cards and used them, didn’t know it was an offense, got prosecuted and we’re hoping that President Trump in his last days will pardon him,” he said.
That case is one of four Vaughan is seeking a pardon for.
“This is somewhat of a secretive process. Everything must be submitted to the White House online. Then you a get a letter back saying no need to contact us, we will contact you when we need any information,” he said.
Passing on protocol, some of Trump’s pardons, including high profile individuals involved in the Russia investigation, circumvented the normal Department of Justice vetting process.
But, Vaughan said his cases have followed standard procedure.
“Well, on my pardons, they’ve needed information, they’ve written me, I’ve written them back. There’s no live person you can get in this process. Which makes it tough to communicate. I can’t go up there and argue a case for someone. So it’s like a Never Neverland – you don’t know when it’s going to come down, when it’s going to happen.”
