Savannah Chrisley Appeals for Trump Pardon on Behalf of Incarcerated Parents Todd and Julie Chrisley

Savannah Chrisley Appeals for Trump Pardon on Behalf of Incarcerated Parents Todd and Julie Chrisley

Savannah Chrisley has reached out to President Donald Trump for assistance as her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, continue to serve their sentences for federal bank fraud and tax evasion. Both parents were sentenced following a controversial trial that ended in their conviction.

The couple, former stars of the reality TV series ‘Chrisley Knows Best’, married in 1996 and share three children. They are currently serving a combined 19-year prison term in separate facilities located in Kentucky and Florida. Each began their sentence in January 2023 after being found guilty in November 2022.

After numerous attempts to appeal their convictions failed, Savannah indicated that their family is exploring alternative paths, including soliciting a presidential pardon from Trump. She stated in a recent interview, “I know that I am going through the proper channels to do so, and I’m going to bring as much awareness to it as possible, because these things should not happen.”

Details of the Conviction

In November 2022, a jury convicted Todd and Julie of conspiring to defraud banks in the Atlanta region out of over $30 million through fraudulent loans. They also conspired to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.

Todd received an initial sentence of 12 years but had two years taken off. Julie was handed a seven-year sentence after she was indicted in August 2019 on multiple charges, including bank fraud and tax evasion.

Legal Developments and Mistakes

In June 2024, the appellate court upheld the couple’s convictions but found a significant legal error in how the trial judge calculated Julie’s sentencing. This led to the vacation of her original seven-year sentence. However, it was later reinstated by a federal judge in September 2024.

“We thought it was going to end differently,” Savannah told an interviewer, reflecting on her family’s legal struggles. “We had lawyers who had told us it was going to end differently,” she added, clearly expressing her dismay with the legal outcome.

She elaborated on her perspective, stating, “We stood in the truth, and we stood in what we knew to be the truth. We saw the corruption in Georgia’s Fulton County. We saw how the judge handled the case. We just saw all of it and we’re like, ‘There’s no way. There’s no way it’s going to end this way.’ But it did.”

Political Engagement and Continued Advocacy

In July 2024, Savannah addressed the Republican National Convention, where she accused Fulton County prosecutors of unfair treatment towards her family. Her passionate speech highlighted a personal belief that her family has been wronged by a flawed legal system.

On February, during an interview with CBS News, Todd and Julie’s attorney, Jay Surgent, announced plans to pursue a pardon from Trump. He expressed confidence in their chances, stating, “They believe that the president will seriously consider pardoning both Julie and Todd Chrisley due to the unfair treatment they received in the criminal justice system,” noting the couple’s strong support for Trump.

Rights Abuses and the Pardon Process

Surgent pointed out that their request for pardon might reference serious constitutional issues, including search warrant violations that occurred during the investigation. He mentioned, “Their constitutional rights were violated by the search of a warehouse without a warrant,” underscoring the belief that proper legal procedures were not followed.

The application for a pardon is expected to be submitted within the next two to four months, signifying an important step in their ongoing struggle.

Personal Resilience and Family Support

In discussing her journey, Savannah expressed that the challenges she has encountered have fostered greater resilience in her character. She shared, “I think that I’ve gone through a lot of tough experiences in my life. I really have. And I’ve faced many challenges that I’ve never even publicly discussed.”

She elaborated that battling personal issues develops resilience. Savannah remarked, “When you fight silent battles, resilience just comes. There was no one that was there for you, whether you didn’t allow someone to be there for you, or whether you just didn’t have people there. You just learned to pick yourself up.”

Additionally, Savannah highlighted the influence of her father on her tenacity. She said, “Growing up, my dad was a constant encourager, always saying, ‘Come on, we can do this. We can do this. You can do anything a man can do, if not better.'” This guidance, she noted, was essential to her personal development.

“Resilience just comes from that kind of encouragement,” she continued. “I don’t ever want to give up, and I want to give my future children something to look at and be proud of.”