ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - JANUARY 22: Businessman Donald Trump and Muhammad Ali at Tyson vs Holmes Convention Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey January 22 1988. (Photo by Jeffrey Asher/ Getty Images)
In what will surely infuriate his haters again, President Trump is considering using his power to pardon for the case of boxing legend and civil rights advocate, Muhammad Ali.
Ali was convicted in 1967 of draft evasion after he refused to serve in the Vietnam War based on opposition to U.S. involvement, as well as citing religious objections, and subsequently stripped of his boxing titles.
“He wasn’t very popular then, he certainly is, his memory is very popular now,” the President said prior to leaving for the G-7 summit in Canada. “I’m thinking about Muhammad Ali, I’m thinking about that very seriously.”
The decision to pardon Ali would mostly be a symbolic gesture, as his conviction was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1971 after a four-year legal battle.
Ali’s attorney, Ron Tweel, said as much, issuing a statement thanking the President but saying any pardon is unnecessary.
“We appreciate President Trump’s sentiment, but a pardon is unnecessary,” he said. “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.”
Don King, a boxing promoter for numerous historical matchups, and a friend of President Trump was involved with Ali in several fights. He was also sued by the boxing legend for underpaying him by over $1 million for a fight with Larry Holmes in 1982.
King was also found guilty of second-degree murder in 1967 for killing a gambling associate who owed him $600 but sentenced for a lesser charge of manslaughter in the same year Ali was convicted.
King himself was pardoned in 1983 by Ohio Governor James Rhodes.
Don King and the President have close ties that date back decades, with the former having campaigned for Trump in the summer of 2016.
“The establishment will tell their lies,” King said of Trump. “They will try to keep him down.”
“Be with the people, not the establishment,” he urged.
Muhammad Ali received the UCP’s Humanitarian Award from Donald Trump at the United Cerebral Palsy dinner on March 14, 2001.
This past May, Trump issued a full pardon to Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight boxing champion. (RELATED: President Trump Pardons Heavyweight Boxing Champion Jack Johnson).
Do you think Trump should pardon Muhammad Ali? Share your thoughts below!
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Strange, because Clay/Ali's conviction was overturned by SCOTUS, so why does he need a Pardon? Well, even the greatest get to "PANDER" once in a while! But I often wondered, after enlisting in the Navy for 4 years to avoid being drafted in the Army, WHO WENT IN ALI'S PLACE! AND IS HIS NAME ON THE WALL!!!
Ali sucks, a raghead POS.
PRESIDENT TRUMP ALSO PARDON JULIAN ASSANGE////WE THE PEOPLE' HAVE THE POWER OF OUR VOICES AND OUR VOTES TO VOTE OUT COME NOV 2018,THE ENTIRE LYING CORRUPT, TREASONOUS, DEMOCRAT PARTY, VOTE TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN AND TO END ALL CORRUPTION IN WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT END THE WASHINGTON PEDOPHILE CARTELS
That is one pardon that I would NOT agree with...cassius clay became a traitor to this country, who would precede every post-fight interview with his undying love of allah which, although we didn't realize it at the time, was the same as announcing his hatred for America...and as for 'boxing great'..?...he was certainly a great runner...and the beneficiary of more than one 'iffy' decisions...I know (knew) many boxing fans who were completely disgusted by his 'style'...run and evade for 10-12 rounds and then pummel his exhausted opponent for the final couple of rounds...and anyway his attorney makes it quite obvious that there would be no appreciation forthcoming...I'm hoping the President isn't pardoning these black people thinking that they might change their mind about him, because it won't.