Donald Trump may yet to concede to Joe Biden, but he’s still in the middle of one activity favored by many outgoing presidents: pardoning friends and allies. He sure has a lot of options; a good number of former staff members and confidants have been sent to prison on federal charges, and some current ones are expecting to join them. (One of them, former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, has already received his.) But as per ABC News, on his short list (which probably isn’t very short) is a famous jailed TV star, Joe Exotic.
The Tiger King breakout is currently serving a 22-year sentence on 17 charges of animal abuse and two charges of murder for hire, after a plot to kill nemesis Carole Baskin. Over the summer the former private zoo owner, real name Joseph Allen Schreibvogel, reached out to Trump, hoping he’d extend him the presidential pardon he’d given to people like far-right commentator, filmmaker, and former convict Dinesh D’Souza.
It’s unclear how well Trump knows of Joe Exotic, or how sympathetic he is to his plight. They do have some things in common. For one, Joe has run for president one more time than Trump ever has. But the news that he could be sprung by a president who may try to pardon himself became the butt of many a Twitter joke.
Folks, we really are on Joe Exotic pardon watchhttps://t.co/vjDIhKbQWn pic.twitter.com/BNLiCXXXXF
— Dillon Richards (@KOCODillon) December 1, 2020
Trump is considering a pardon for Joe Exotic. 100% on brand. pic.twitter.com/J6rOImjG61
— Hoodlum
(@NotHoodlum) December 2, 2020
Rudy Giuliani when Trump pardons Joe Exotic and not him: pic.twitter.com/Ogaf6QmLqz
— Mario (@MarioANap) December 2, 2020
Joe Exotic may very well be pardoned by Donald Trump.
Can you imagine that lying, murderous, corrupt, drug addled, idiotic reality tv star actually PARDONING Joe Exotic??? pic.twitter.com/a82YMW0X7h
— A Long Day’s Tweet Into Night (@ReverendSteve) December 2, 2020
Trump pardoning Joe Exotic would truly be one of the most MAGA things to ever happen in the history of MAGA.
— Meredith Lee (@meralee727) December 2, 2020
Delivering the news that Joe Exotic is on the potential Trump pardon list pic.twitter.com/9rFdwnpRgC
— Lance Ulanoff (@LanceUlanoff) December 2, 2020
I mean, Joe Exotic is hella racist, so pardoning him would be on brand for Trump. https://t.co/HTtJY5O2d7
— Kendall Brown (@kendallybrown) December 2, 2020
A Joe Exotic trump pardon would solidify the trump persona
You can’t get anymore white trash than the king of white trash, from the President of all white trash
— More Or Les (@LesHailYes) December 2, 2020
Or some people were just exhausted by 2020.
If Joe Exotic gets a presidential pardon, I will be fully convinced this year is a social experiment or computer simulation
— mel (@melthesadclown) December 2, 2020
“Those in the mix for a potential pardon have ranged from family members and associates all the way to the Tiger King…”
A simultaneous Joe Exotic and Trump family pardon watch…I can’t wait for 2020 to be over. https://t.co/wEYXS8wGX2
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) December 2, 2020
(Via ABC News)