President Trump wants to pardon Muhammad Ali, too bad there’s nothing to pardon
By Mike Heck
President Donald Trump said he may pardon the legendary Muhammad Ali. While the sentiment may be nice, it’s not possible.
President Donald Trump is looking to pardon another combat sports legend, according to reports.
Meg Kinnard from the Associated Press announced via Twitter on Friday morning that President Trump said that he may pardon deceased boxing legend Muhammad Ali.
BREAKING: President Trump says he may pardon deceased boxing great Muhammad Ali.
— Meg Kinnard (@MegKinnardAP) June 8, 2018
“He was not very popular then, his memory is very popular now,” Trump said at the White House before a departure for the G-7 summit in Quebec City, Canada (h/t NBC News). “I’m thinking about that very seriously.”
The problem with the President’s sentiment is Ali has already had his conviction overturned — not once, but twice.
CNN’s Ana Cabrera tweeted out a response from Ali’s attorney, Ron Tweel, in regards to Trump’s pardon ideas, reiterating that there is no need for it. The first overturning of the conviction took place 47 years ago.
Muhammad Ali's attorney responds to Trump saying he may pardon Ali, saying they appreciate the sentiment, but "The U.S Supreme Court overturned the conviction of Muhammad Ali in a unanimous decision in 1971. There is no conviction from which a pardon is needed.”
— Ana Cabrera (@AnaCabrera) June 8, 2018
When Jimmy Carter was president, he pardoned every Vietnam War draft dodger back in 1977. Trump also added while speaking to reporters that he was looking at “thousands of names” for potential pardon in the near future.
The President recently posthumously pardoned Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion in boxing. In 1912, Johnson was arrested for driving his white girlfriend across state lines “for immoral acts,” which violated the Mann Act which made the act a felony. The Mann Act, according to the NY Post, was a law often used as a way to railroad black men dating white women. Johnson, and his soon-to-be wife, skipped bail for seven years before serving his time.
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The President has been a topic in the world of sports as of late, especially since the Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia Eagles declined to visit the White House following their championship victories. It has even been a topic of discussion in Chicago this week in the build-up to UFC 225.