CNN
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President Donald Trump may have pardoned Todd and Julie Chrisley, but there were two other people who were instrumental in making it happen.
The reality show couple, who were convicted in 2022 of defraud and tax crimes, learned on Tuesday that they would be receiving full pardons from the president. It happened after months of advocacy by their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, and Alice Johnson, a first-time nonviolent drug offender whose life sentence was commuted by Trump in 2018 after Kim Kardashian took up her clemency mission.
For years, the younger Chrisley has been using social media and her “Unlocked” podcast to keep her parents’ case in the headlines, expressing concern about the living conditions where they were each incarcerated.
During Thanksgiving 2023 Savannah Chrisley shared a video in which she explained that while she had not been planning for a holiday, that changed.
“I am freaking out! As you know, we are spending Thanksgiving a little different this year, because I wasn’t going to fake it. I wasn’t going to do the traditional Thanksgiving we’re always used to,” she said emotionally as the gospel song “Goodness of God” by CeCe Winans played. “But I got a call this morning and the appeals court has granted our oral arguments. So, I literally was sobbing.”
At the time, Todd Chrisley had been serving a 12-year sentence at the Federal Prison Camp (FPC) in Pensacola, Florida, while Julie Chrisley was sentenced to seven years and was sent to the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Lexington in Lexington, Kentucky.
Though their appeal was not successful, their daughter didn’t stop pushing for their release. A vocal supporter of Trump on her social platforms, Chrisley said she requested a pardon for her parents from the president earlier this year and rallied support during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February.
She’s had some assistance in her cause by Johnson.
On Tuesday, Johnson, whom Trump has referred to as his “pardon czar,” was in the Oval Office when he called Savannah Chrisley to let her know he was pardoning her parents.
Their conversation was shared on social media by Trump adviser Margo Martin. Johnson was shown clapping softly as Trump spoke with Chrisley.
“It’s a great thing because your parents are going to be free and clean, and hopefully we can do it by tomorrow,” Trump said. “Give them my regards and wish them well. Wish them a good life.”
Todd and Julie Chrisley have been married since 1996. Their USA Network reality series, “Chrisley Knows Best,” debuted in 2014 and revolved around their family life as wealthy entrepreneurs with homes in both Georgia and Tennessee.
They were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans and convicted of several tax crimes, including attempting to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.
The Chrisleys have maintained their innocence throughout. Their daughter has said she’ll continue to advocate for judicial reform.
“Even after my parents come home,” Chrisley said on her podcast, “I will continue to fight for justice for those who can’t fight for themselves.”
