Michael Whatley Continues to Support Trump’s Pardons Amid Controversy
Michael Whatley, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina, has maintained his support for former President Donald Trump’s controversial pardons of individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol riots, despite revelations of sex crime charges against some of those pardoned.
In a sweeping move, Trump granted pardons to all participants in the 2021 Capitol unrest, overturning his initial stance of pardoning only nonviolent offenders. An NPR report later highlighted that numerous individuals among those pardoned had histories of serious offenses, including rape and child sexual abuse.
During a February event, Whatley reaffirmed his backing of Trump’s pardons, describing the legal actions against the pardoned individuals as “malicious.”
Among those pardoned was David Daniel from Mint Hill, N.C., who faced charges for producing explicit material involving a minor under 12. Daniel claimed that the pardon covered this offense, but a judge disagreed, leading to his guilty plea.
Several pardoned individuals were later accused of sex crimes post-pardon. Notably, Andrew Paul Johnson from Florida received a life sentence in March for child molestation charges involving minors. Johnson allegedly offered one victim a share of a potential federal settlement, derived from the pardon, in exchange for silence.
This notion may have stemmed from Trump’s attempt to establish a fund aimed at compensating individuals he deemed victims of “government weaponization,” including the pardoned rioters.
Whatley expressed his support for this fund, although it faces a blockade from a federal judge.
Whatley’s stance could draw scrutiny due to his previous role as chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party from 2019 to 2024. During his tenure, he appointed Harvey West to party committees, despite West’s 2000 conviction for indecent liberties with a minor, as reported by Asheville Watchdog.
Trump has endorsed Whatley’s Senate bid, setting the stage for a general election battle against former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper.
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