Kim Kardashian West returned to the White House Wednesday to talk about sentencing reform and a clemency case with several Trump administration officials, including Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.
Earlier this summer, Kardashian West successfully lobbied President Donald Trump for the sentence commutation of Alice Marie Johnson. Johnson, a 63-year-old grandmother from Tennessee, was sentenced to life in prison for a first-time drug offense.
She went back to the 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for a listening session on clemency issues with several prison reform advocates and Trump administration officials.
"Today at the White House, members of the administration are hosting a listening session about the clemency process. The discussion is mainly focused on ways to improve that process to ensure deserving cases receive a fair review," deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley told CNN in a statement.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Kardashian West shared a tweet with pictures of the session, writing: "It started with Ms. Alice, but looking at her and seeing the faces and learning the stories of the men and women I’ve met inside prisons I knew I couldn’t stop at just one. It’s time for REAL systemic change."
It started with Ms. Alice, but looking at her and seeing the faces and learning the stories of the men and women I’ve met inside prisons I knew I couldn’t stop at just one. It’s time for REAL systemic change pic.twitter.com/kdKr8s6lJW
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) September 5, 2018
Kardashian West recently appeared on the podcast "Wrongful Conviction" and said she is now working on the case of Chris Young, a young Tennessee man who was sentenced to life in 2014 on drugs charges because of the federal "three strikes" law. This policy, which advocates oppose, requires a mandatory life sentence if a defendant with prior convictions is found guilty. Even Judge Kevin Sharp, who sentenced Young, opposed the life sentence.
It's unclear how far the Trump administration is willing to get involved with criminal justice reform, but the White House is currently trying to create a regular process for the review of clemency cases and also backs the FIRST STEP Act, a prison reform bill that passed the House earlier this year.
Ivanka Trump also shared a picture of the day, writing: "Great working session today at the White House on ways to improve the clemency process with policy leaders and criminal justice reform advocates."
Great working session today at the White House on ways to improve the clemency process with policy leaders and criminal justice reform advocates. pic.twitter.com/2Ydoe16Dfo
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) September 6, 2018
Related Video: