By Brenda Emila Johnson
When this administration took office, we expected pardons. We knew they were part of the process—sometimes necessary, sometimes controversial. But 1,500 pardons? That’s not justice. That’s a message.
We’ve seen this before. Donald Trump, on his way out the door, handed out pardons like party favors. Some went to allies who protected him, others to criminals who had no business walking free. Among them was Enrique Tarrio, leader of the Proud Boys, convicted for orchestrating the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Not just him—Trump pardoned those who violently assaulted police officers, men who beat and brutalized the very people sworn to protect this country.
As a former police officer’s wife, January 6th was my worst nightmare come to life. The terror of knowing that good officers were under attack, that families like mine were sitting at home watching, helpless, wondering if they’d ever see their loved ones again.
And the worst part? Having MAGA supporters tell me it didn’t happen.
Tell that to my son, a National Guardsman, who had to stand guard at the Capitol after the attack. Tell that to the officers who were beaten, sprayed with chemical irritants, crushed in doorways, or forced to fight for their lives for hours. Tell that to the families of Officer Brian Sicknick, who died after being attacked, or the officers who later took their own lives because of the trauma they endured.
This isn’t political for me. This is personal. I know what it feels like to sit at home, staring at your phone, waiting for the call that might break you. Wondering if your husband will walk back through the door or if you’ll be left to explain to your children why he never will.
And now, we have to watch as men who beat police officers, who terrorized the country, who left destruction in their wake, are set free—as if their crimes never happened.
Ben Shapiro Wants a Pardon for Derek Chauvin
Now, conservative commentator Ben Shapiro has called on Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin—the former police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, ignoring Floyd’s desperate pleas for air.
Who Is Derek Chauvin?
Derek Chauvin served with the Minneapolis Police Department from 2001 to 2020. Over his career, he accumulated 18 complaints in his record and was involved in three police shootings, one of which was fatal. While he received two medals of valor and two commendation medals, his career was ultimately defined by his role in Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020.
Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter, and was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to violating Floyd’s civil rights. His conviction was one of the most high-profile cases of police brutality in U.S. history, sparking a global movement for racial justice.
Perhaps surprising some, Shapiro spent much of his talk outlining the history of American opposition to slavery and the evils of Jim Crow. But by the end of his speech, he derided the idea that “every single problem in America today is based on slavery.”
Yet, his request for Chauvin’s pardon contradicts his own message. Floyd’s murder was not just about one man’s actions—it became a symbol of racial injustice, igniting calls for police reform. If we cannot hold officers accountable for murder caught on camera, what does that say about our justice system?
Trump’s Promise of Police Immunity
This isn’t just about Chauvin. It’s about a bigger, more dangerous trend. Trump has promised to expand police immunity, vowing that officers will never have to fear prosecution for their actions.
He’s not talking about protecting good officers—he’s talking about protecting bad ones. Men like Chauvin. Men who believe that some lives don’t matter, who think that a badge is a license to kill without consequence.
And that’s exactly what these pardons say.
What These Pardons Really Mean
Pardons are meant for mercy, for correcting the wrongs of the system. But what we’re seeing isn’t mercy. It’s power. It’s a weapon used to protect the guilty at the expense of the innocent.
- The January 6th rioters, pardoned despite attacking police officers
- Derek Chauvin’s name floated for a pardon, despite being convicted in a fair trial
- Criminals reoffending after their release, proving exactly why they should have remained behind bars
To be fair, Trump hasn’t spoken on this yet. But my fear is that men like Chauvin—and I am not implying all police officers, but those who don’t value the lives of people of color—will see this as a signal. A message that says:
Driving while Black can still get you killed. Kneeling on a Black man’s neck for nearly nine minutes will get you a pardon.
This is not about justice. It never was.
