Republican Brice Wiggins, a state senator in Mississippi, blasted President Donald Trump for his recent pardons.
Trump on Wednesday pardoned his former campaign manager Paul Manafort and former advisor Roger Stone, as well as Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared.
In a statement, the White House said Manafort and Stone had been subjected to "unfair" treatment because of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling.
"Having spent nearly 15 yrs prosecuting as an Asst. D.A. and authoring & passing legislation re: criminal activity, these pardons aren't good; they smack of cronyism and political favors. As such, they erode our faith in the rule of law," Wiggins wrote on Twitter in response to the news.
"Now, the pardon power of a POTUS or Gov. is sacrosanct, having been carried over from England. Historically, it was to check the courts in cases of a miscarriage of justice as judged by reasonable minds. This is a hallmark of checks and balances in the Constitution. BUT, more & more it's used as a political reward."
"A pardon negates all the work of prosecutors, judges, defense attorneys & juries who've worked the case; not to be taken lightly. POTUS' of both parties have used it to reward friends; 2 wrongs don't make it right," Wiggins added.
According to The New York Times, Trump has also considered pre-emptive pardons for his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, along with his daughter Ivanka Trump and his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
