President Trump pardoned a friend and former business associate who published a fawning book about him last year and who has written several columns in support of his presidency in the past.
In a statement released Wednesday, the White House announced the pardon of Conrad Black, a British citizen whom the White House described as an “entrepreneur and scholar,” who has made “tremendous contributions to business, as well as to political and historical thought.”
Black was found guilty of mail fraud and obstruction more than a decade ago, served three and a half years in prison and was not allowed to reenter the United States. In its statement, the White House described Black’s crimes as “overturned” by the Supreme Court and listed the support he’s received from “high-profile individuals,” like Rush Limbaugh and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Black reportedly considers himself a close friend of Trump’s and the two worked together during the construction of Trump Tower in Chicago, according to the Washington Post.
