Changes

Steve went to Washington to do one thing – defeat the Deep State. There’s an old saying about the feds: If they want to get you, they have an unlimited budget and unlimited power to do so. Knowing what we now know in more graphic detail than ever before, are you surprised?<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wnd.com/2018/04/i-hope-trump-pardons-steve-stockman/#Y1agZRZxx1GGfMQ1.99|title=I hope Trump pardons Steve Stockman|publisher=Wnd.com|date=April 15, 2018|author=[[Joseph Farah]]|accessdate=April 16, 2018}}</ref></blockquote>

Steve went to Washington to do one thing – defeat the Deep State. There’s an old saying about the feds: If they want to get you, they have an unlimited budget and unlimited power to do so. Knowing what we now know in more graphic detail than ever before, are you surprised?<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wnd.com/2018/04/i-hope-trump-pardons-steve-stockman/#Y1agZRZxx1GGfMQ1.99|title=I hope Trump pardons Steve Stockman|publisher=Wnd.com|date=April 15, 2018|author=[[Joseph Farah]]|accessdate=April 16, 2018}}</ref></blockquote>

Thus far, Trump has taken no action on a pardon for Stockman. Patti Ferguson Stockman describes her husband as a “political prisoner ... who’s poured decades of his life toward preserving the liberties that were guaranteed in the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]], and he is sitting there without his own liberty. This is bigger than Steve Stockman. It’s the state of our nation. It’s Steve Stockman today; it may be your neighbor tomorrow, or even you.”<ref name=westrec/> In November 2018, Stockman was sentenced to ten years in prison.<ref>Sorace, Stephen (November 8, 2018). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ex-texas-congressman-steve-stockman-gets-10-years-in-prison Ex-lawmaker gets 10 years for using charity cash for dolphin-watching, hot-air balloon rides]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved November 8, 2018.</ref><ref>Rodriguez, Katherine (November 8, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/11/07/former-rep-steve-stockman-ten-years-prison-campaign-fraud/ Former Rep. Steve Stockman Gets Ten Years in Prison for Campaign Fraud]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 8, 2018.</ref>

Patti Ferguson Stockman describes her husband as a “political prisoner ... who’s poured decades of his life toward preserving the liberties that were guaranteed in the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]], and he is sitting there without his own liberty. This is bigger than Steve Stockman. It’s the state of our nation. It’s Steve Stockman today; it may be your neighbor tomorrow, or even you.”<ref name=westrec/> In November 2018, Stockman was sentenced to ten years in prison.<ref>Sorace, Stephen (November 8, 2018). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ex-texas-congressman-steve-stockman-gets-10-years-in-prison Ex-lawmaker gets 10 years for using charity cash for dolphin-watching, hot-air balloon rides]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved November 8, 2018.</ref><ref>Rodriguez, Katherine (November 8, 2018). [https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/11/07/former-rep-steve-stockman-ten-years-prison-campaign-fraud/ Former Rep. Steve Stockman Gets Ten Years in Prison for Campaign Fraud]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 8, 2018.</ref>

Like Joseph Farah, conservative stalwart [[Richard Viguerie]] has defended Stockman as a victim of judicial overreach through the order of former [[IRS]] official [[Lois Lerner]]. On January 11, 2019, Stockman filed his appeal. Viguerie defends him:

Like Joseph Farah, conservative stalwart [[Richard Viguerie]] has defended Stockman as a victim of judicial overreach through the order of former [[IRS]] official [[Lois Lerner]]. On January 11, 2019, Stockman filed his appeal. Viguerie defends him:

Viguerie is seeking financial contributions on Stockman's behalf through the "Patriot Defense Fund" on the Conservative Legal Defense and Education Fund website. Several figures defended Stockman.<ref>Vadum, Matthew (June 12, 2019). [https://www.theepochtimes.com/questions-raised-about-conviction-of-conservative-texas-ex-congressman_2961211.html Questions Raised About Conviction of Conservative Texas Ex-Congressman]. ''The Epoch Times''. Retrieved June 13, 2019}}</ref><ref>Patti Stockman (December 24, 2019). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/former-us-reps-wife-if-doj-wants-you-to-go-to-prison-you-will-go-to-prison Former US rep’s wife: If DOJ wants you to go to prison, you will go to prison]. ''LifeSiteNews'' (from ''The American Thinker''). Retrieved December 24, 2019.</ref>

Viguerie is seeking financial contributions on Stockman's behalf through the "Patriot Defense Fund" on the Conservative Legal Defense and Education Fund website. Several figures defended Stockman.<ref>Vadum, Matthew (June 12, 2019). [https://www.theepochtimes.com/questions-raised-about-conviction-of-conservative-texas-ex-congressman_2961211.html Questions Raised About Conviction of Conservative Texas Ex-Congressman]. ''The Epoch Times''. Retrieved June 13, 2019}}</ref><ref>Patti Stockman (December 24, 2019). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/former-us-reps-wife-if-doj-wants-you-to-go-to-prison-you-will-go-to-prison Former US rep’s wife: If DOJ wants you to go to prison, you will go to prison]. ''LifeSiteNews'' (from ''The American Thinker''). Retrieved December 24, 2019.</ref>

===Trump does to reply to pardon request===

==Trump commutes Stockman's sentence==

In April 2020, with the [[coronavirus]] pandemic underway, Patti Stockman sent a personal video to President Trump asking for clemency for her husband. She noted that Stockman is vulnerable in prison to COVID19 because of his [[diabetes]] and other health issues. Trump has not replied to her plea; there is no indication why Trump has failed to act on the request.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/houston/article/convicted-congress-steve-stockman-trump-pardon-15192258.php|title=Convicted ex-U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman asks Donald Trump for COVID-19 pardon|publisher=''The Houston Chronicle''|date=April 10, 2020|author=Gabrielle Banks|accessdate=July 16, 2020}}</ref>

 

In April 2020, with the [[coronavirus]] pandemic underway, Patti Stockman sent a personal video to President Trump asking for clemency for her husband. She noted that Stockman is vulnerable in prison to COVID19 because of his [[diabetes]] and other health issues. Trump did not reply to her plea.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/houston/article/convicted-congress-steve-stockman-trump-pardon-15192258.php|title=Convicted ex-U.S. Congressman Steve Stockman asks Donald Trump for COVID-19 pardon|publisher=''The Houston Chronicle''|date=April 10, 2020|author=Gabrielle Banks|accessdate=July 16, 2020}}</ref> On December 22, 2020, however, Trump finally commuted Stockman's sentence to time served, but he still faces repayment of $1 million in restitution.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2020/12/trump_pardons_steve_stockman.html|title=Trump pardons [sic] Steve Stockman|publisher=The American Thinker|author=Thomas Lifson|accessdate=December 23, 2020}}</ref>

==References==

==References==